Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles
by Auror5
Summary: Follow Lily's journey through Hogwarts as she encounters pain, anguish, laughter, friendship, death, acceptance, and love.
1. Part I: Initiare

_**A/N**: Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles is a revision of my original story, Lily: The Hogwarts Years. The story was revised to give Lily her proper surname and place the characters in their proper houses, among other things. It was also rewritten in **British English**, so no flames about spelling from my fellow Americans. Flames will be used to heat the contents of my cauldron. *cackles*_

_Please be aware that this isn't a Lily/James or MWPP fic. If you are expecting Lily to fall in love with James very early in the story or to become very close friends with James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter in the beginning, you will be disappointed. In this story, Lily develops her own circle of friends, and her first male interest is not James. Don't worry; by the end of this story, James and Lily will be a couple. Finally, this story is a drama, not a romance._

_**Hugs and kisses** to all those who read this story. You also get a **long stemmed, red rose** if you provide a review. All three automatically go to my original fans of Lily: The Hogwarts Years. ^_^_

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_ Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

** by Auror5**

** Part I: Initiare**

**Chapter I: _ The Strange Letter_**

Lily Evans, aged ten, was writing a letter to her pen pal in Spain when her mother walked into the bedroom. Lily glanced up.

Lily's mother, Zinnia, was a schoolteacher at Royal Blue Academy, an independent school for very wealthy children. Lily attended March Worthing, but would be attending Stafford, an independent junior school, in September.

"Honey, I just received a strange call from Mrs. Raven. She said that Gertrude claimed you pushed her into a large and very muddy puddle. Is that true? Mrs. Raven was quite upset."

"Mum, it just happened," Lily sighed. "That horrid Gertrude was teasing Annie about her glasses, again, so I told Gertrude to stop, but she wouldn't listen. Then Annie started crying, and I got mad. I yelled at her to quit it, and the next thing I know, Gertrude _dives_ into the puddle. I didn't _push_ her."

"Well, Lily, I certainly can't explain why strange things seem to happen when you are around. Like that time a ladder suddenly appeared against the large Elm Sadie's kitten somehow managed to climb to the top of."

"Oh, I remember. I felt so sorry for Mittens, crying and stuck at the top of that tree. I was wishing that I had a ladder to go up and get him when one just appeared."

Petunia, Lily's twelve-year-old sister, stood in the doorway and said, "Aren't you going to punish her, Mum?"

Although Lily and Petunia were sisters, their resemblance was absent. Lily was very pretty with dark red hair, an oval face, and striking green eyes. Petunia was plain with honey-blonde hair, blue-grey eyes, and a rectangular face with rather horse-like teeth. Lily favoured her mother, except her mother's eyes were blue-grey as Petunia's. Petunia favoured her father more, except her father's eyes were a striking shade of green like Lily's.

"No, of course not, Tunia. It was an accident. Lily didn't mean for it to happen."

"That's not fair," shouted Petunia. "If I pushed a girl into the mud, you would punish me!"

"Petunia, Lily didn't _push_ Gertrude in the mud. Somehow, Gertrude jumped into it herself. I can't punish Lily for that."

"She's _lying._ She's a little liar. She _pushed_ her. I _know_ she did," Petunia screamed at the top of her lungs. "You and Dad always liked her best because everyone thinks she's so pretty."

"Petunia, that is simply not true!" said Zinnia becoming angry.

Petunia ran from the room, and, a second later, they heard the sound of a door being slammed.

"Oh dear, I better to talk to Petunia." Zinnia left.

Confused and feeling slightly melancholy, Lily wondered why her older sister seemed to dislike her so much. She always tried so hard to be nice to Petunia, but Petunia did not seem to care or even notice. Sighing, she returned to the letter to her pen pal. About twenty minutes later, she finished it. After placing the letter away, she put on her pyjamas, walked downstairs, and kissed her father goodnight.

Wesley Evans was a medical doctor who worked at Keswick Memorial Hospital in Keswick, England where the Evans family lived.

Lily climbed into bed, and was immediately joined by her fluffy, white, Persian cat, Snowball. Snowball purred contentedly while snuggling close to Lily. Lily was happy that the school year was over. She was looking forward to this summer because her family was travelling to Paris, for a fortnight, in August. They had never been to Paris. Dozing off, Lily thought how much fun it would be to finally speak French outside a classroom. Just when she almost drifted off, her mother walked into the room.

"Goodnight, Lily. Don't let the bedbugs bite." Zinnia kissed her youngest daughter.

Before Zinnia left, Lily sleepily said, "Mum, is Tunia all right? Is she still upset?"

"No, sweetheart, I think she is okay, now. Don't worry. Go to sleep, dear."

*******

One day, in early July, Zinnia, with a perplexed expression on her face, handed Lily a thick envelope with no stamp and emerald green writing on it.

Lily took it and said, "What's this?"

"I don't know. Why don't you open it and find out?"

Wesley, Lily's father, exclaimed, "Hold on a second. It doesn't have a return address or stamp on it? May I see it?"

Wesley grabbed the envelope and muttered, "Strange indeed...no stamps...green writing." He turned it over and noticed a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms: a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter _H_.1

"Unusual," remarked Wesley, and returned the envelope to Lily. "Here. Go on ahead and open it."

Lily opened the envelope, unfolded the letter, and read:

> > > _Dear Miss Evans,_
>>> 
>>> _"We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._
>>> 
>>> _Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than the 31st of July._
>>> 
>>> _Yours Sincerely,_
>>> 
>>> _Minerva McGonagall,_
>>> 
>>> _Deputy Headmistress"2_

"Well, what does it say?" prodded Zinnia.

"Let me see it!" demanded Petunia.

Lily handed the letter to her mother while frowning deeply in thought.

Zinnia read it, and gasped, "Oh, dear!" She then handed it to Wesley while gazing at Lily with a flabbergasted expression on her face.

"I want to see that letter," Petunia shouted.

Wesley read it, and his eyes widened. He then muttered, "I wonder...no...Can it be?"

He glanced around the table at his family, and pronounced, "Lily, sweetheart, I believe you are a witch."

An awkward hush filled the room. The only sound that could be heard was distant birdsong, and the soft ruffle of the gingham curtains blowing in a slight breeze.

"What?" said Lily breaking the silence.

"It must be," exclaimed Zinnia to Wesley. "Remember that time, Wes, when Lily was a wee babe crying because she was hungry, but I couldn't give her a bottle straight away? And suddenly she stopped crying, and I discovered her with a bottle full of milk in her mouth?"

"Or remember the time," said Wesley, "when Petunia fell from her bedroom window, and somehow Lily, only two-years-old, slowed Tunia down by pointing at her? And Tunia landed on a gigantic, fluffy pillow that appeared out of nowhere? I was so afraid our Tunia would be killed or badly injured, but Lily saved her."

"Mum, Dad, how can I be a witch?" Lily said, experiencing a mixture of bewilderment, anxiety, and excitement.

"We don't know, pumpkin," replied Wesley, "It is one of those type of things that just happen. I imagine your mother and I must have a witch or wizard or two as ancestors."

Petunia, quiet during the time, finally spoke.

"She's not a witch! She's a FREAK! Lily is a FREAK!"

"Silence, Petunia! Don't call your sister names," ordered Wesley. "She can't help what she is. She is _not_ a freak."

"YES, SHE IS! A FREAK, THAT'S WHAT SHE IS!"

"_Go to your room. NOW_," roared Wesley.

Petunia ran from the room. Distantly, they heard a door close with much force.

Wesley turned to Lily, who had begun to cry.

"Mum, Dad, what does this all mean? _Am_ I a freak?" wailed Lily.

"No, honey, no," said Zinnia, consoling Lily. "Never mind your sister. I think she may be feeling a little jealous. You know how hard it is for her sometimes. Petunia feels that she must compete with you. We try so hard to make her feel that she doesn't have to, but she is stubborn in her beliefs. Don't worry, sweetheart. She will grow out of it, and one of these days you two will be the closest of sisters and best of friends. I know it."

Zinnia hugged and kissed her youngest daughter. Lily wiped away her tears.

"Look, there's another piece of paper." Lily unfolded and read it while sniffling.

"It says that I will need a black pointed hat, a wand, a book of spells and potions, and a cauldron. Do they sell stuff like this in shops?"

"What do they mean, 'we await your owl?'" said Wesley with a puzzled expression on his face while perusing the letter.

"Dear," Zinnia said to Wesley. "Before we do anything, we should find out more about this school."

"I agree. Why don't we inquire more from this Headmaster Dumbledore? What _do_ they mean by this owl business?"

*******

About a week later, while the family was eating dinner, a large owl swooped through the window and dropped a letter onto Wesley's plate. The unexpected appearance of a large owl in their home thoroughly shocked the Evanses into silence. Lily couldn't speak for she was choking on a piece of halibut. Zinnia thumped her on the back, and the piece of fish flew from her mouth, across the room, and smacked the grandfather clock, which began to chime hours early.

Wesley picked up the letter and began to read.

"Wes, what does it say?" said Zinnia nervously while watching the owl, which was drinking some wine from her glass.

"I will read it to all of you. 'Dear Mr. and Mrs. Evans, being that you are Muggles....'"

"What's a 'Muggle'?" interrupted Lily.

"I don't know, dear. Let me finish reading," replied Wesley, and then he resumed. "'Being that you are Muggles, we realised that you would not know how to send your response to us. Therefore, we have provided you with an owl to send your reply. Simply attach it to the owl's leg, and it will be sent to us.'"

"Oh," commented Zinnia while watching the owl eat her halibut.

"Tell you what, Zin. I will send a letter to the headmaster of this school asking what this is all about."

"That's a good idea," replied Zinnia intently staring at the bird as it ruffled its feathers.

"We will ask the headmaster why he sent this letter, how on earth we are going to find the items on their list, and where this school is located."

"All right, honey. That sounds fine." Zinnia leaned back in her chair as the owl moved closer to her.

Petunia leapt from her seat, and ran upstairs to her room. She had not spoken to Lily since the day the letter from Hogwarts arrived.

About twenty minutes later, Wesley carefully attached, to the owl's leg, the letter he had written. The owl spread its wings and flew out the window into the dark.

"Owls deliver their mail?" remarked Lily incredulously.

*******

Two days later, an owl appeared in the kitchen while the family was having breakfast, and dropped a letter onto Wesley's head. The bird landed on the table and stuck its beak into Petunia's glass of orange juice. Petunia screamed and ran from the table. Zinnia jumped up and pursued after her.

"Now then," said Wesley. "Let's see what this letter says," and he began to read aloud to Lily.

"'Dear Mister Evans, we have known that your daughter, Lily, is a witch for some time. It was brought to our attention when she was six months old. She used a Summoning Charm to gain a bottle of warm milk. All magic done in the Muggle world is closely watched and documented by the Hogwarts Quill. When Lily used the Summoning Charm, she was marked as a future pupil at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We, in the Magical world, feel it is best that young witches and wizards, Wizard and Muggle-born, attend a school in which they can learn more about their abilities. Attending Hogwarts will give Lily the opportunity to meet and mingle with other witches like her.

"'The items she will need for Hogwarts can be found at Diagon Alley, in London. Diagon Alley can be accessed through the Leaky Cauldron, which is located on Cheshire Way, between a Muggle record shop and a bookshop. Ask Tom, the bartender, in the Leaky Cauldron to show you the way to Diagon Alley.

"'Hogwarts is located in the north, on the banks of a lake.

"'Enclosed is a train ticket for Hogwarts.

"'We will send an owl to you in a week to receive your response on whether Miss Evans will attend our school in September.'"

Zinnia returned, and plopped down into a chair. "So, what did it say?"

"Mum, is Petunia okay?"

"Don't worry, Lily. She's all right, just a little upset that's all."

"She hasn't spoken to me in over a week!" she responded, hotly.

"I know, honey. She will come around. I promise."

Wesley handed the letter to Zinnia.

"Oh! So that's how they know you're a witch," exclaimed Zinnia after she finished reading the letter.

"They seem a little secretive about the location of their school, don't they?" remarked Wesley, slightly irritated. "'Located in the north, on the banks of a lake,' what does that say? Nothing! What's this Hogwarts Quill? Are they calling us 'Muggles?'"

"Lily, do you want to attend this school?" said Zinnia.

"Honey, why don't we let her think about it for a week," Wesley told Zinnia.

"All right. Lily, think about it, and let us know what you decide. I know this is a big decision for you, but it's something you must decide for yourself," said Zinnia kindly.

"Mum, I'm afraid," Lily exclaimed with a stricken expression on her face. "Everything is changing. Nothing is the same anymore!" She burst into tears.

"Oh, pumpkin..." Zinnia attempted to comfort her.

*******

A week later, at breakfast, Lily announced to the family that she would attend Hogwarts. Petunia, who was still not speaking to Lily, hurried from the room. Upstairs, a door was banged shut.

"Are you sure?" Wesley and Zinnia said at the same time.

"Yes. If I don't like it, I can go to Stafford next year, right?"

"Oh, honey, we are going to miss you!" responded Zinnia with tears filling her eyes. "For ten months, my little girl will be gone."

"Now, now, Zin. Let's not get too worked up. Since we will be in France the first part of August, why don't we plan a trip to London next week to buy all of Lily's school things?"

During lunch that day, with only Lily and her mother present (Petunia had locked herself in her room), a large owl swooped into the kitchen.

"Oh! It wants our response."

"Okay, Mum." Lily rolled up the acceptance letter, and carefully tied it to the owl's leg.

*******

On the 28th of July, Lily awoke with excitement. She was travelling to London with her parents to buy her school supplies. Petunia was staying at a friend's house because she did not want to go to Diagon Alley. Lily quickly dressed, and ran downstairs. Smiling, her mother and father gazed up at her as she entered the kitchen.

"Why don't you have something to eat, Lily? Then we will head off to London," said Zinnia.

**---------**

_**Note:** Part I, Initiare, was posted on the **19th of May, 2001**. I have no idea whether or not Petunia was Lily's older sister. Please don't flame me if JKR later states, in an interview (or we find out in a future book), that Petunia was not Lily's older sister. Remember, flames will be used to heat the contents of my cauldron. ^_~_

_1J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, (Scholastic Press, 1998), p34. _

_2J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, (Scholastic Press, 1998), p51. _


	2. Whispers and Stares

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter II: _ Whispers and Stares_**

"A shilling for your thoughts." Wesley startled Lily from her reverie.

"You have been awfully quiet, sweetheart, since we boarded the train," remarked Zinnia with a trace of concern. "Are you looking forward to shopping for your school things?"

"Yes!" Lily replied a little too forcefully. "I was just thinking of the lessons I'll need my books for. D'you think they'll really teach us how to fly brooms?"

"I imagine so," Wesley said, thoughtfully.

"Wes, I wonder if they allow parents to visit Hogwarts. They _do_ seem somewhat secretive of its location. Does it mean that parents can't visit sometime? I would like to check on my girl to see how she is doing." Zinnia fondly gazed at Lily, and gave her a quick embrace.

"Well, I do hope so, Zin. This 'in the north, on the banks of a lake' nonsense isn't acceptable to me. You know.…"

Lily allowed her parents' chatter to wash over her, and blend into the background as she watched the land, a kaleidoscope of colours, blur by. Turmoil was brewing inside her. She felt bad about being dishonest with her parents.

_I'm glad they haven't asked me the real reason I decided to go to Hogwarts_, she thought. _They'll probably become upset if I tell them that I really don't want to go. I'm only going because of Petunia. Maybe everything will be better for her if I were gone for a while. I hope so! I wonder why Petunia dislikes me so much? She has been horrid this month! Not one word to me since the day I received that letter from Hogwarts, and that was almost a month ago!_ Lily thought sadly.

_I hope, one day, we end up really close like Brianna and Lauren. Maybe when I return home next summer everything will be great between us! Petunia will like me because, for ten months, everyone will only pay attention to her. She won't have to compete with me like Mum said. Then I won't have to go back to Hogwarts next September. Everything will be great!_ With this thought, Lily began to feel slightly more optimistic, although there was a thread of disquiet running deep inside her, so deep she did not even notice.

About an hour later, the train slowed as it approached Knights' Way Train Station. The Evanses marvelled at the immensity, and hustle and bustle of London. A moment later they were walking outside the train station, and looking for Cheshire Way.

"Hmm," Wesley said, frowning at a street map of London. "I believe that if we head to our left on the street that we are on, we will run into Meadview Lane, which runs right into Cheshire Way. From there, we can turn right, for a start." He folded the map, and placed it into his pocket. "All right, my beautiful ladies, adventures await us!"

Nearly fifteen minutes later, they were strolling down Cheshire Way searching for a record shop and a bookshop.

Zinnia pointed across the street. "Look! There is the record shop and the bookshop across the way, but I don't see any Leaky Cauldron."

"Come. Let's cross over," Wesley suggested while grabbing his wife and daughter's hands.

The number of people on the street, the noise, and the seemingly endless blaring of automobile horns overwhelmed Lily. She was also trying not to get squashed by the adults brushing past her. Keswick seemed like an extremely tiny hamlet compared to London.

They managed to cross over safely without being run down by a bus.

"Where is this Leaky Cauldron? It should be right here," exclaimed Wesley confused, while standing in front of the space that should have been the Leaky Cauldron.

"Dad, Mum, it's right here!" gestured Lily.

"Oh!" gasped Zinnia. "How could we have missed it? It's indeed right in front of us!"

"Did it just appear? I could have _sworn_ there wasn't anything here a moment ago!" remarked Wesley in confusion.

"Let's go in, shall we?" suggested Zinnia.

They entered into what appeared to be a shabby pub. There was an odd assortment of people inside, most of them dressed quite peculiar. In fact, some looked downright frightening. Lily thought to herself that some of the grownups appeared remarkably similar to characters in fairy tales_. Is this what witches and wizards look like?_ she wondered while staring at an old woman with a very prominent, beak-like nose; yellow teeth; waist-length, white hair, and orange eyes. The folks in the Leaky Cauldron gazed at them just as avidly as the Evanses looked at them.

One odd man, who seemed as though he could actually be a vampire, suddenly exclaimed in a rich baritone voice, "Muggles! Oy, Tom! There are Muggles here."

A bald, old man approached the Evanses from behind the counter. "May I help you? Are you lost by any chance?"

"Er, no," Wesley replied, uncomfortably. "Are you Tom?"

"Yes, I am, sir. You are a Muggle, aren't you?" Tom peered intently at Wesley, Zinnia, and Lily.

"Er, I guess so, if 'Muggle' means I am not, erm, a wizard." Wesley then quickly added, "We were told by a Mr. Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, to ask you to show us the way to Diagon Alley."

"Albus Dumbledore recommended me?" Tom smiled brightly. "Then, of course, I will show you to Diagon Alley. So, your daughter, here, will attend Hogwarts? She's a witch, is she not?" Tom then bent down. "Hello, and how are you, lass?"

"Fine, sir," replied Lily shyly.

"May I ask the young witch's name?"

"Lily Evans, sir."

Beaming, Tom straightened up. "Ay, what a pretty young lass she is!"

Lily blushed furiously.

"May I ask your names, too?"

"I am Wesley, and this is my wife, Zinnia."

"Ah, very pleased to make your acquaintances Wesley, Zinnia, and Lily. Come. Follow me."

The Evanses followed Tom to the back of the tavern or pub, with many of the patrons watching and whispering amongst themselves. They very soon found themselves in a courtyard. Wesley's discomfort grew. He was not sure about all of this. Tom tapped on a brick a few times with his wand, and the wall dissolved. It was replaced with an archway that presented a view of an entirely new street with cobbled stones.

"Wow!" exclaimed Lily. "How did you do that?"

Tom smiled indulgently at Lily. "I will have to show you one day, dear. This is Diagon Alley. I must return to the pub." Tom quickly retreated.

"Quite remarkable!" Wesley said.

"This is magic, isn't it?" stated Zinnia.

They marvelled at the odd shops on either side of the Alley: Eeylops Owl Emporium, Ollivanders, Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, Towson and Towson Best Brooms, and more.

"Let's see," said Zinnia, pulling out Lily's school supply list. "We need books. Let's go over to this Flourish and Blotts."

The Evanses walked into Flourish and Blotts, and the first thing they noticed, aside from the numerous books with titles such as The Beauty of Fwooper Song by Uric the Oddball and Why Manticores Enjoy Human Flesh, were the cost of the books. Instead of British pounds, the books reflected prices in a strange, foreign currency using Galleons and Sickles.

Frowning, Wesley said, "What are Galleons and Sickles?"

A very skinny man with large hazel eyes behind thick glasses materialized next to them, and asked if they needed any help.

"Yes," Wesley replied. "We are, erm, new here. What are Galleons and Sickles?"

"You're Muggles, aren't ye?" The man peered closely at them.

"Er, yes, we are, except my daughter," answered Wesley.

Lily blushed and tried to hide behind her mother.

"The young lady will be attending Hogwarts in September, eh?"

"That's correct."

"Well, sir, to buy anything in Diagon Alley, you must have the proper money. Muggle money simply will not do. Go to Gringotts. They will exchange your Muggle money for Wizard money. Gringotts is just down the way, the white building."

The Evanses strolled in the direction in which the man pointed, and eventually found themselves facing an impressive structure. They climbed the stone steps leading up to bronze double doors. At the door, they spotted two very strange beings that did not appear to be quite human. The beings bowed, and opened the doors for them. As they passed, Lily whispered, "Mum, are they goblins?" They encountered another pair of double doors, this time silver. They read the writing engraved upon it.

"So, what would happen if someone tried to rob this place?" Wesley lightly inquired of the goblin-like beings standing on either side of the door.

"That person would never leave here alive," growled the goblin to his left.

The goblins allowed them inside while bowing.

They entered an immense, marble lobby where gold, diamonds, and other precious gems were being weighed on brass scales. Goblins, behind impressively long counters, were serving customers.

"Amazing! Truly amazing!" exclaimed Wesley with an idiotic expression on his face.

"Honey, please stop. You look quite silly, and you are attracting attention," said Zinnia embarrassed.

They walked up to an empty counter.

"Yes? How may I help you, sir?" inquired the goblin while scowling slightly.

"Er, yes, we need to exchange, erm, some Muggle money for Galleons and Sickles, I believe."

"How much do you wish to exchange, sir? By the way, I am Grinnook. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"How do you do? I am Wesley Evans. This is my wife, Zinnia, and my daughter, Lily. May I inquire what exactly is the exchange rate, sir?"

"Seven pounds per Galleon. There are seventeen Sickles to a Galleon, and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle."

"Erm, all right, let's see..." Wesley pulled out his billfold and counted the notes. "Why don't I exchange two hundred and ten pounds for thirty Galleons?"

The goblin handed over a bag full of pure gold coins, and said, "Thank you, sir, and have a good day."

"Honey, I can't believe we are walking around with a bag full of gold," Zinnia whispered excitedly as they left Gringotts.

They returned to Flourish and Blotts.

The strange, skinny man spotted them immediately. "Sir, are you ready to purchase books for the lass?"

"Yes. Come, Lily, don't be bashful. Let's see which books you need."

Wesley took the list and handed it to the bookshop owner.

"The items you will need can be found on the wall to your back, sir."

"Thank you," Wesley said, turning around.

After obtaining the books on the list, they joined a queue in front of the counter. While waiting to reach it, they observed a number of customers, most wearing cloaks or robes of various colours, eyeing them and whispering. The Evanses began to feel uncomfortable.

Zinnia quietly said, "I feel like a specimen under one of your microscopes, Wes."

One awkward appearing young girl of about twelve, immediately in front of them, turned and stared at Lily. The girl then said, "Are you Muggles? How did you get here? Are you going to Hogwarts?"

"Bertha!" admonished the girl's mother. "Mind your own business!"

"But, Mum, they are Muggles! Look at their clothes."

The woman turned to face the Evanses. "I apologise for my daughter's rudeness. She is quite the inquisitive one. By the way, I am Mavis Jorkins, and this is my daughter, Bertha. How do you do?"

"Hello, and pleased to meet you. I'm Zinnia. This is my husband, Wesley, and our daughter, Lily. Lily will be attending Hogwarts this year."

Just then, the lady behind the counter caught Mrs. Jorkins' attention, and she moved forward to pay for her purchases. Bertha continued to peer intently at Lily, who looked at her feet.

"Hullo. So you're a witch, but your parents are Muggles, right?"

"Erm, I guess so," Lily quietly replied while staring at her feet.

"You're very pretty. I hope the Sorting Hat puts you in Hufflepuff. I'm a Hufflepuff. I hope we become close friends at Hogwarts so that you can share all of your secrets with me."

"Thank you," said Lily shyly, still gazing at her feet.

"Bertha! Come along, now. It was nice meeting you," Mrs. Jorkins called as she walked past.

The Evanses paid for their items, and then headed to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "I wish they wouldn't stare so!" exclaimed Wesley annoyed.

"Honey, they will hear you!"

"So? And staring, pointing, and whispering aren't rude?"

"Wesley, _please_. I think they heard you," Zinnia said in a hushed voice.

They entered Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, and discovered, to their relief, that they were the only customers present.

"How may I help you?" inquired a slightly bizarre appearing woman.

"My daughter needs robes and a hat for school," replied Zinnia.

"Come, dear. Step up here so I can get your measurements."

As soon as Lily stepped up onto the stool, the woman threw a black robe over her. They waited in silence as she measured and fit the garment. About five minutes later, they were out searching for the shop that sold wands.

"Mum, Dad, can we stop? I would like some ice cream. Please?"

"Sure, pumpkin! We have been doing a lot of walking today. Your feet must be tired. What do you say, Zin? A nice sundae?"

They walked into Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour amid stares and whispers, and bought two large sundaes and a cone. They sat outside to enjoy their treat. Quite a number of people strolled by staring at them and whispering. A few even paused a bit.

"I do wish they would stop this staring and whispering nonsense!"

"Shhh, Wes! I think they heard you."

"So?" He then stood up, and loudly exclaimed, "May I have your attention, please?"

"Daaaad!" wailed Lily, face turning beet red.

A number of people stopped and gazed at Wesley.

"Now that I have your attention. I would like to make an announcement. We are what you call Muggles. Yes, we are Muggles!"

Lily, at this point, slid underneath the table.

Zinnia covered her face with her hands.

One man shouted, "I thought so. Didn't I tell you, Clem? They are Muggles."

"You were right, Mister," yelled Wesley. "We discovered quite recently that my daughter here, hiding under the table, is a witch. My wife and I are Muggles. We are here today buying school supplies for our daughter. She will start the term at Hogwarts, this September. Are there any questions?"

"Yes!" A lady with bright orange hair and purple eyes responded. "What is your surname?"

"Evans!"

"What is your daughter's name, sir?" said a girl who was about fifteen years old.

"Lily."

The entire crowd then shouted, in near unison, "Hello, Lily. How do you do?"

"Lily, dear, please come out from underneath the table and show proper manners."

Lily, face crimson, reluctantly crawled out from under the table. Wesley then lifted Lily and placed her on top of it.

"This is my daughter!"

"Ahhh, quite pretty, she is," murmured the crowd.

Lily looked down at her feet and wished she could disappear or, at least, become invisible.

"Are there any more questions?"

"Yes!" said a man with blonde hair flying all over his head, a long shaggy beard, and a nose that resembled a pear. "Do Muggles really travel from one place to another in a cart?"

"That's _car_, not cart. Yes! Next question!"

"How do Muggles survive without magic?"

"That would take hours or perhaps days to explain! Next question!"

A boy, about seven-years-old, eating a piece of chocolate candy in the shape of a frog, piped up, "Do Muggles know how to cook?"

"Yes! Except my mother-in-law!"

At which point, Zinnia removed one hand from her face and used it to hit her husband on the leg.

"Are there any more questions? No? Well then, my wife, daughter, and I will finish our refreshing ice cream here. When we are done, we will leave to buy a wand and a cauldron for my daughter in your intriguing Diagon Alley. We would appreciate it if you would not stare, point, and whisper as we pass. Thank you."

Wesley lifted Lily from the table, and then sat down to finish his sundae. The crowd rapidly dispersed.

"Finally! We can eat without feeling as though we are in a zoo."

"Wesley! I cannot believe you!" Zinnia exclaimed while choking back wild laughter.

"I've never been so embarrassed in my life," muttered Lily, face still red.

Wesley leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "Mark my words, sweetheart, you will look back on this day, and say 'That was nothing!'"

After eating their ice cream, the next stop was Ollivanders. They observed, with pleasure, that no one was paying much attention to them anymore. The shop was dark, and appeared empty when they walked in.

"Is anyone here?" whispered Zinnia.

"The sign says that it is open," responded Wesley quietly while glancing around.

Suddenly, out of the gloom, a short man with large, pale eyes materialized in front of them. Wesley and Lily jumped. Zinnia let out a small scream, which resulted in a reproving stare from Wesley.

"Ah," said the strange man gazing at Lily. "You must be the one looking for a wand, yes?"

"Erm, yes sir," replied Lily, staring at her feet, again.

"Are you Ollivander?" inquired Wesley.

"Yes, indeed I am." Ollivander stared at Lily. Lily continued to gaze at her feet.

"Now then!" Mr. Ollivander pulled a tape measure from his pocket. "Let's find a wand for you, young lady. Which is your wand arm?"

"Huh? I'm, erm, left-handed, if that's what you mean, sir."

"Hold out your left arm then, dearie. That's a good girl."

Mr. Ollivander began to measure Lily. Lily could not understand why he measured her head and ears. She tried not to giggle. While Ollivander measured her, he told the Evanses that each wand's core was made of a powerful magical substance, and that no two wands were alike. He then began to remove boxes from the shelves.

"Here. Try this one, lass. Made of maple and phoenix tail feather, nine inches. Sturdy. Just wave it."

Feeling a little silly, Lily waved the wand. Also, she was still trying, with difficulty, not to giggle.

"No, that's not it." Mr. Ollivander snatched the wand from her. "Give this one a try. Flowering plum with unicorn hair, eight inches, and quite malleable."

He quickly grabbed it from her, even though she barely waved it. He made her try one wand after another, with Lily feeling increasingly foolish.

"Ah, try this one. Yesss, I do believe this will work. Go on. Try it, dearie."

Lily took the wand. She felt a slight vibration in her fingertips and warmth spreading up her arm. _This is mine_, she thought. She waved the wand in a grand arc, and cheerfully observed gold streamers and blue sparks shoot from its tip.

"Yes, yes, _yes_, I knew it! Made of willow and unicorn hair, swishy. Fine wand that one is."

"Mum, Dad, I _like_ my wand!"

Zinnia and Wesley smiled.

"Yes, take good care of it, lass." Ollivander wrapped the wand in paper, placed it in its box, stood upright, and declared, "That will be six Galleons."

Wesley paid Ollivander, and they left the shop.

Their last stop, in Diagon Alley, was the shop that sold cauldrons, among other items.

"What kind of cauldron do you need, Lily?" said Zinnia.

"Erm, let me see. Pewter, standard size two, it says."

They purchased the cauldron, telescope, crystal phials, and a set of brass scales.

"Well then, it is time to say goodbye to Diagon Alley. Are you two starved? I can eat a horse right now!" exclaimed Wesley.

"Mmm, horses, quite tasty, are they not?" said a rather crazy appearing old man striding past them with pink and yellow puffballs on his head.

About twenty minutes later, they were sitting in a Muggle restaurant waiting for their meals.

"So, Lily, what did you think? Did you enjoy your experience today?" Zinnia said.

"I really liked getting my wand. It was fun. I didn't like those people staring at us, though, and Dad embarrassing me." Lily scowled at her father.

Wesley laughed heartily.

Nearly two hours later, they were heading back to Keswick. It was quite dark outside. Lily, trying to stay awake, thought about her day in London. She wondered whether most witches and wizards were as odd as the ones she met in Diagon Alley.

**---------**

_Note: The exchange rate varies._

_The Fwooper and Uric the Oddball's fancy for this type of bird can be found on page 18 of Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them by J.K. Rowling as Newt Scamander (Scholastic Inc, 2001)._


	3. Petunia

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter III: _Petunia_**

Sitting on her window seat, Lily watched the rain fall without really seeing, and distantly heard the soft patter of the drops as they hit the window. Snowball, her fluffy white Persian, was sitting on her lap purring contentedly as she absentmindedly stroked him. The Evanses had recently returned from their trip to France. In about a week and a half, Lily would be on her way to Hogwarts. Lily was thinking sadly of Petunia and of her best friend, Lauren.

Petunia had not spoken to Lily since she received the letter from Hogwarts. The trip to France would have been more enjoyable for Lily, if it were not for Petunia's strange behaviour. During the entire trip, Petunia acted as though Lily did not exist, as though she were invisible. On the few occasions that she did acknowledge her presence, Lily noticed that she had an odd, knowing smirk on her face, as though she knew something Lily did not.

What was really hurting Lily was that it seemed as though Lauren did not want to be her friend anymore. Since she returned from France, she had telephoned Lauren's house several times asking to speak with her, but each time her mother, father, or sister, Brianna, very politely told her that Lauren was not taking any calls. Once, she went over to Lauren's house, but Lauren's mother coldly told her that she could not come out to play. It was not just Lauren, either. It appeared that _none_ of her friends wanted to be with her anymore. Perhaps it was her imagination, but it also seemed as though they had been acting very strange lately. A few times she caught Fern, Charles, and Michael huddled together snatching looks at her and whispering. They almost reminded her of the wizards and witches in Diagon Alley.

Lily's thoughts were interrupted by Petunia walking into her room. Gladness filled Lily's heart at the sight of Petunia. She happily thought, _Tunia is going to make up with me!_ She smiled and leapt from her window seat. Startled, Snowball ran underneath the bed.

"Hullo!" Lily beamed.

Petunia regarded her coldly. "Did you know that, a long time ago, they used to burn witches? You're not normal, Lily. No one wants to be around a witch, even if she is pretty."

Lily recoiled as though icy water had been thrown on her face.

"While you were in London, I told everyone about you. How you are a freak. Everyone agrees, even Lauren. Lauren doesn't want to be your friend anymore. No one wants to be friends with a freak."

Lily felt as though someone had just stabbed her through the heart. Hurt and angry, tears began to fill her eyes.

"You awful, horrible girl. Get out of my room!"

"You're not normal, Lily! They _burned_ witches. They burned them because they were _evil_. You're _evil_!"

"Get out of my room, you ugly, wicked girl!"

"I'M NOT WICKED, LILY. YOU ARE! YOU AREN'T NATURAL, YOU EVIL FREAK!"

Lily rushed up to Petunia and slapped her so hard she fell onto the floor.

Petunia began to cry, and then screamed, "I hate you, witch! I _hate_ you!"

Sobbing hard, Lily towered over Petunia. "GET OUT OF MY ROOM, PETUNIA, OR I WILL MAKE YOU!"

Lily must have had a dangerous gleam in her eyes for she suddenly saw fear on Petunia's face. Petunia jumped up, ran from the room, and collided into their mother, who had run upstairs to find out what the shouting was about.

"Mum," Petunia wailed, arms wrapped tightly around her mother's waist. "Lily hit me!"

"What? Lily hit you?"

"Yes, Mum, very hard. It hurts, Mum!"

Zinnia disengaged herself from Petunia's grip, and held her away at arms length. She observed a red handprint swelling on Petunia's right cheek. Zinnia gasped when she saw it. Holding Petunia close, she barged into Lily's room. She found Lily crying stormily, face down on the bed.

"Lily! What is the meaning of this? Why did you hit your sister? Do you see what you have done? Get up off that bed. Now!"

Crying hard, Lily rose up and faced her mother.

"Please explain to me why you have done this to your sister." Zinnia's eyes were hard.

Lily had never seen her mother so angry.

"She, she, Mum," stammered Lily sobbing. "Mum, she, she turned all my friends away from mm-me. Said, she said, I was evil and not na-natural. Muumm, everyone hates me now. She told them that I was a wi-witch. Oh, Mum, my best friend Lauren ha-hates me now! She, oh Mum, she said wi-witches were burned, and I'm evil."

"What?" Zinnia looked at Petunia incredulously. "Did you say those things about your sister? Did you tell her friends that she is a witch?"

"Mum," wailed Petunia. "I told them because they had to know about her. She's not normal!"

"Petunia, don't you _ever_ refer to your little sister as being abnormal or evil! She isn't! She cannot help what she is. If she is a witch, then it is because we, your father and I, made her that way. It isn't her fault!"

Petunia cried harder. "I'm sorry, Mum. I don't think you and Dad are evil."

"Petunia, what you did and said to your sister was very ugly. I am shocked and hurt by your behaviour! As punishment, you will stay in your room until you apologise. Until then, there will be no television or any type of socializing with your friends. You will remain in your room. Your meals will be brought to you until you are sorry for the awful things you have said and done. Do you understand?"

"But, but, _Mum_, she hit me!"

"Do.you.un.der.stand me, Petunia?"

"Yes! I understand you!" Petunia ran to her room and slammed the door so hard that one of the framed pictures on the wall, in the corridor, fell to the floor.

Zinnia sat on Lily's bed. Lily was curled up on it, and still sobbing.

"Lily, I'm so sorry for what Petunia has done." Zinnia gently stroked Lily's hair. "I just don't know what has gotten into her. Perhaps she is having a hard time dealing with all of this. I just don't know. I'm sure she will get over it in time. Perhaps if your father and I pay more attention to her, she will feel better about everything."

"Mum? Can, can, I tell you something?"

"Yes, honey."

Tears streaking her face and nose running, Lily sat up. "Please, puh-please, don't tell Dad, okay?"

"Well, all right," responded Zinnia unsure. "What do you want to tell me?"

"Mum, the, the real reason I de-decided to go to Hogwarts is, is…"

"Go on, dear," Zinnia gently encouraged.

"It's because of Petunia, Mum," blurted Lily placing her head on her mother's lap, and bawling.

"Oh, _Lily_," said Zinnia troubled. "Lily, why didn't you come to your father or me? Lily, I don't want you to go to that school, if you don't want to!"

"Mum." She sat up. "I have to. I can't stay here with Petunia, with her acting this way. It's so hard. My friends don't want to be around me anymore. Mum, Lauren, doesn't want to be my best friend anymore!" She cried as though her heart was breaking.

Zinnia cradled her, with a heavy sadness. The way her daughter was sobbing was heart wrenching. She held Lily tight and rocked her gently.

"Shh, honey. It will get better. I promise. I'm so sorry, so very sorry about all of this."

Eventually, Lily's tears subsided. She actually dozed off in her mother's arms.

"Sweetheart."

Lily jumped.

"Honey, if you don't like Hogwarts, will you let your father and me know?"

"Sure, Mum," Lily replied, sleepily.

"We will send for you straight away, if it does not turn out all right. You understand?"

"Yes, Mummy."

"I'm not going to punish you for hitting Petunia. I understand why you did; although, I am quite unhappy about it. You know how your father and I feel about violence.

"Lily, if there are any more serious problems between you and Petunia, will you let your father or me know?"

"Erm, all right," Lily said with eyes downcast.

Zinnia hugged and kissed her, and then left the room.

Lily lay down on her bed and stared up at the ceiling.

Snowball peeked out from underneath the bed, saw that it was safe, meowed once, ventured out, leapt up, and landed squarely on Lily's stomach.

"Oof," responded Lily. "Hullo, Snowball. You're much too heavy now to jump on my tummy."

Snowball stared at her while purring loudly as she stroked his back.

"Would you like to come with me to Hogwarts, Snowball? I will need a friend, and you are the only friend I have left." She choked back a sob, and held Snowball close.

*******

Five days later, Lily had most of the items she was taking with her to Hogwarts packed into a trunk. Snowball's carrier was sitting on top of it. Wesley and Zinnia decided that it would be best to stay in London overnight; therefore, they would leave for London, by train, on the 31st. Petunia still had not left her room.

The day before Wesley, Zinnia, and Lily left for London, Petunia still had not apologised to Lily. Lily had seen Petunia on only a few occasions since their fight, and on each of those occasions Petunia was either leaving from or going to the bathroom. Zinnia and Wesley decided to leave Petunia home, and have Mrs. Muldrow, the widow two houses down, watch her until they return. They were thoroughly upset by her behaviour, and vowed to straighten it out as soon as they returned from London. In the meantime, they wanted the atmosphere to be as pleasant as possible, under the circumstances, before Lily departed. 

Early on August 31st, they prepared to leave for London. Zinnia asked Lily for the hundredth time whether she packed everything she needed. A taxi arrived at 10:30 a.m. to take them to the train station. Lily's trunk was placed in the back compartment, and Snowball was prodded and stuffed into his carrier. Lily ran upstairs and attempted to say farewell to Petunia before they departed. She knocked on Petunia's door several times but received no response.

Lily called sadly through the door, "Goodbye, Tunia. I'm leaving now."

She waited but there was no response. Sadly, she ran downstairs and hopped into the waiting taxi.


	4. The Scarlet Train

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter IV: _The Scarlet Train_**

The night before Lily departed for Hogwarts found the Evans family in a hotel suite going over last minute details.

"Let's take a look at the train ticket to see where exactly we are to go," announced Wesley.

He scrutinised it, and exclaimed loudly, "What? Platform nine and three-quarters? No such platform exists! Is this some kind of joke?"

"Let me see, dear. There must be a mistake."

Wesley passed the ticket to Zinnia's outstretched hand.

She frowned as her eyes scanned the information printed on the admission slip. "Platform nine and three-quarters? Why, surely it must be an error," Zinnia stated.

"But, why would they tell us that if it were a mistake?" Lily yawned while petting Snowball.

"I don't know, pumpkin. They do seem to be an eccentric sort. At least, the ones we met at Diagon Alley seemed that way. Wes, perhaps we can straighten this all out at King's Cross. I am sure many Hogwarts students will be taking this train."

Wesley sighed. "I guess we have no other alternative. I have never seen any platforms numbered with fractions. Oh, here, Lily, this is for you."

Wesley dropped several gold coins into Lily's hand.

"Thanks, Dad! It's money from Gringotts."

"It is the money left from your school shopping. It's only five Galleons, but you may need it. So keep it, sweetie. Put it in a safe place, all right?"

"Okay."

"Lily, you're tired. In fact, we all need to go to bed now. It's late, and we must rise early tomorrow." Zinnia yawned.

*******

About twenty minutes later, Lily was tucked into bed trying to fall asleep. A million butterflies seemed to be fluttering madly in her stomach, and making it a challenge for her to relax. She wondered whether she would make any friends at Hogwarts and whether her grades would be good.

_What do they teach at Hogwarts?_ she thought. _Will they really teach me how to fly a broom? How can I fly one without falling off? The broomstick is not wide enough for me to stay on properly. It hurts, too! I tried to sit on one while no one was watching. How do they do it? Do I have to cackle like those witches on television? Will I have to eat weird food? Will I have to learn how to turn people into frogs and rats? I hope not, unless it's someone I don't like! What if I don't have enough magic? What if I fail all of my lessons? What do they do to bad students? Turn them into mice? I hope my teachers are nice! What if my classmates don't like me?_

Eventually, after much tossing and turning, Lily fell into a light, troubled sleep.

*******

"Hurry, honey! We want to be at King's Cross at 10:15, and it already 9:30," exclaimed a harried Zinnia.

"All right, Mum. Could you help me with Snowball? He doesn't want to get into his carrier."

"Don't worry, Zin; I have him."

***** **

They arrived at King's Cross at 10:15, and began their search for platform nine and three-quarters.

"It simply does not exist as I've stated before!" Wesley said, irritably. "See here? Platform nine, and there's platform ten. This must be some kind of joke!"

"Honey, why don't you wait here with Lily, and I will go inquire at the information booth."

A few minutes later, Zinnia returned. Lily and Wesley observed that her face was flushed with obvious embarrassment.

"What happened, Zin? What did they say?"

"To be frank, I was quite humiliated! They told me that no such platform exists! They laughed at me, and told me to go on my way. They were busy. What are we going to do?"

"Let me look around some more. You two stay here. Let me sort this out."

At 10:40 a.m., Wesley returned visibly furious.

"This is absurd! There simply _is_ no platform nine and three-quarters."

"Mum, Dad, what are we going to do?" Lily was starting to feel distressed.

While standing not far from platform ten, they suddenly noticed a man and a teenaged boy a few meters from them. The teenager had a trunk with him, and a cage carrying a large barn owl.

"Mum, Dad, I think he's going to Hogwarts. Why don't we ask him how to find platform nine and three-quarters?" Lily said in a low voice.

The man, who was apparently the father, exited the scene and left the boy standing alone. The teenager had silvery blonde hair and a pointy chin. He appeared about sixteen or seventeen years of age. He turned and locked his gaze onto the Evanses. His face was full of loathing and contempt. Malice could be seen in his cold, grey eyes, which settled upon Lily. Then his lips curled into a snarl as he scrutinised Lily with hostility. Lily backed into her father, who placed his hands tightly onto her shoulders. The teenager glared briefly at Zinnia and Wesley, and then moved toward the space between platforms nine and ten. At that moment, a large group of people happened to pass in front of the Evanses, and obstructed their view of the malevolent teenager. Once the crowd passed, they realised that they had lost him.

"Where did he go?" Zinnia's voice trembled. "Did you see how he looked at us? How he looked at Lily?"

Wesley bent down to Lily's level, and said in a concerned, worried voice, "Sweetheart, if you see that young man in school, you stay away from him, understand?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"I didn't like the way he looked at us, not one bit. Must be disturbed."

A few minutes later, they heard a lady say, "Come. We must hurry or we will miss the train. We only have about ten minutes." The Evanses turned and spotted a family of four a few meters from their location.

"Now, Fiona, I don't want you pestering your brother while you are at school, all right?"

"Yes, Mum," reluctantly replied a small girl of about eleven years old. As soon as her mother's back was turned, she stuck her tongue out at her brother, who appeared about fourteen years of age.

"I'm turning you into a salamander once we're at school, you little imp," threatened the teenager. 

"Blah, blah, blah," the girl responded.

"Mum, Dad, I think they're going to Hogwarts, too. See? They both have owls. Let's ask them. They seem nice."

"Sure, why not?" Wesley led his clan over to the family of four.

"Er, excuse me. How do we find platform nine and three-quarters?"

The man and woman peered at the Evanses.

"Are you Muggles?" the man said.

"Er, yes, we are, except our daughter. She is attending Hogwarts for the first time."

"Really? So is our Fiona!" exclaimed the woman.

"Hello. We are the McKinnons. I'm Liam. This is my wife, Kendra; son, Craig, and daughter, Fiona. How do you do?"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Wesley Evans. This is my wife, Zinnia and daughter, Lily."

"Why don't we do it this way? Kendra you take Zinnia, Lily, and Fiona with you, and Wesley, Craig, and I follow? We don't want the Muggles to notice anything out of the ordinary."

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Zinnia, Lily, and you too, Fiona, come with me." Kendra McKinnon beckoned Zinnia and Lily to follow her.

"Zin, go on ahead. I will grab the trunk. Here Lily, take Snowball." Wesley handed Snowball, in his carrier, to Lily.

Zinnia and Lily followed Kendra McKinnon and her daughter, Fiona.

"Now, the trick is to not let any Muggles see you. Be nonchalant. Let's walk briskly. When we see a group of Muggles pass, we walk through the barrier. Just follow Fiona and me."

Very shortly, a group of rowdy teenagers passed by. Kendra strolled swiftly toward a space between platforms nine and ten, with Fiona, Lily, and Zinnia in tow. Zinnia and Lily were sceptical. They were afraid that they were going to walk headlong into the platform barrier, and earn large painful bumps on their heads for their effort. The barrier approached. Lily and Zinnia held their breaths. Kendra and Fiona seemed to disappear just before they would have collided into the barrier. Amazed, Zinnia held tightly onto Lily's hand, closed her eyes, and with one arm straight out in front of her, stepped through.

"Wow!" said Lily.

Zinnia opened her eyes and saw a bright, red train billowing steam in front of them. A number of children and their parents were running around the platform labelled, "9 ¾." The scene was that of near chaos. Numerous owls were hooting, cats were screeching, hissing, or meowing, and too many rats and toads scampered about loose with children chasing after them.

"Welcome to platform nine and three-quarters! This is the Hogwarts Express." Kendra smiled warmly at Lily and Zinnia.

"Come on. Let's find a compartment." Fiona grabbed Lily's hand.

Zinnia and Kendra followed.

They stepped inside the train, and found an empty compartment for Lily and Fiona. Lily left a decidedly disgruntled Snowball in his carrier, on a seat by the window. As they were leaving the train, Liam, Wesley, and Craig walked on carrying trunks. Kendra pointed out to Wesley and Liam the compartment Lily and Fiona would occupy.

On the platform, the Evanses and McKinnons paid farewells to their children.

"Honey, please don't forget to write us after you settle in, all right? We want to know how you are doing," Zinnia said with tears in her eyes.

"I'm really going to miss you, my girl." Zinnia then grabbed Lily into a tight embrace and kissed her.

"Will miss you too, Mum," Lily replied softly with a very large lump in her throat.

The train's whistle began to blare. Yelling goodbyes to their parents, Craig and Fiona rushed onto the train.

Wesley hugged and lavished kisses on his daughter. He then whispered in Lily's ear, "Take care of yourself at the school in the north, on the banks of lake. We love you. Don't forget to write us."

Frequently glancing back and fighting tears that threatened, Lily slowly moved away from her parents.

"Goodbye Mum, Dad. I love you!"

She stepped into the train and found the compartment she and Fiona selected. She sat down and noticed two boys sharing the compartment with them. Lily then opened the window and gazed out at her parents, who were watching with their arms wrapped around each other. Her mother was crying. The McKinnons were standing nearby.

"Bye, Mum. Bye, Dad," shouted Fiona.

Heroically fighting back tears, Lily waved at her parents as the train began to roll away.

They returned her wave.

"Bye, Mum and Dad!" Lily waved frantically at her parents as the train picked up speed. She watched, nearly hanging out the window, until she could no longer see them. Lily then plopped down onto the seat, and stared at her hands while struggling to hold back tears.

Eventually, Lily glanced around the compartment and looked at her companions. Fiona was seated across from her gazing out the window. Fiona had long, rich brown hair with flecks of gold throughout, large indigo eyes, and a rather elfin face. She was slightly small for her age. One of the boys had light brown hair, and was rather cute. He seemed a bit shy to Lily, and was huddled near the door. The other boy, sitting next to her, was slightly chubby with mousy brown hair and beady dark eyes. He appeared as though he were terrified.

"My brother is in Gryffindor. That's probably where I'll end up," blurted Fiona. "Lily, which House do you want to be in?"

"I don't know. What are the Houses?"

"Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin."

"What are they for?"

"That's where they put the students. We live in the Houses. Craig said that Slytherin is the worst House. Pray that they don't stick you in there!"

"What's wrong with it?" piped up the chubby boy with beady eyes.

"Craig said that all of the bad wizards and witches come from Slytherin. The wizard who started Slytherin was a Parselmouth."

The boys gasped in astonishment.

"What's a Parselmouth?" said Lily.

"Oh dear, you don't _know_?" Fiona responded, incredulously. "Why, it's a wizard that speaks snake language. Only bad wizards can speak to snakes."

"Oh."

"I do hope they put me in Gryffindor," said the chubby boy. "I hear that it's the best House."

"It is! Craig says so."

"I saw this girl at the bookshop in Diagon Alley. She said that she was in Hufflepuff."

"Oh, Lily, you don't want to be in Hufflepuff. Craig says that only the stupid ones are put in Hufflepuff. He said that they aren't smart. All Gryffindors are brave and smart," Fiona proudly stated.

"I bet I'm stuck in Hufflepuff," muttered the boy with beady eyes.

"If you do get stuck in Hufflepuff, go for the Quidditch team. Perhaps you can be their Keeper," Fiona advised. "I want to be the Seeker for Gryffindor. My father said that I have the right build, and I'm fast. I always practice flying on my broom. I have a Nimbus 1001. They're the latest."

"I don't know. I'm too big, I think," replied the boy.

"What's Quidditch?"

"Oh, Lily, I must tell you! It's so much fun! You fly around on brooms and try to score by throwing the Quaffle, a red ball, into the other team's hoops. But, you have to watch out for the Bludgers. They're heavy black balls that try to knock the players off their brooms. The team who catches the Golden Snitch wins! I really want to play for whatever house they put me in. Craig tells me I'm such a tomboy." Fiona made a face.

"Craig has a girlfriend. Her name is Sasha, and she's in Ravenclaw," giggled Fiona. "One day," she whispered conspiratorially. "I saw Craig kissing her photo, and moaning 'Oooh, I looove you, baby; you're so divine, so lovely and mine, oooh, um, lovely love.'"

They laughed. 

The compartment door opened and a girl stepped in. Lily immediately recognised her as the girl she met in Flourish and Blotts.

"Hello, I'm Bertha Jorkins. I'm thirteen, and in Hufflepuff."

Fiona rolled her eyes but Bertha did not notice. Lily smiled.

"I remember you," Bertha said to Lily. "Flourish and Blotts. Her parents are Muggles. Did you know?"

"Who cares?" replied Fiona.

"I thought you would want to know. Aren't you a McKinnon?"

"Yeah, so?"

"What's your name?"

"Fiona."

"That's pretty. What's yours?" Bertha directed her attention to the boy with light brown hair.

"Remus. Remus Lupin."

"And yours?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Pleased to make all of your acquaintances. I do hope each of you is placed in Hufflepuff. I can tell you all about Hogwarts. I know a lot. I must go now. My friends must miss me." Bertha then exited the compartment.

"What a Uric!" exclaimed Fiona. "She's stupid really. Talks too much, my mum says. I hope none of us are placed in Hufflepuff. Can you imagine being with her all the time? Her friends. Really! Craig said that she doesn't have any friends because she's always telling everyone's business."

The compartment door slid opened again, and a witch with a trolley full of food asked if they wanted anything. Lily looked at the unfamiliar items, and requested Fiona's advice.

"Let's get Cauldron Cakes, pumpkin juice, Chocolate Frogs, and my favourite, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans."

"Okay. What are Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans?"

"Oh, they are much fun," Fiona said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

They sat down and began to eat. Lily unwrapped a Chocolate Frog, and noticed a card inside. She took a bite of chocolate, and then began to choke on it when she observed the person on the card winking at her.

"It's moving!"

"What? What do you mean?" said Fiona frowning.

"The man in the picture is moving!"

"So? They always do."

"I've never seen photos move!"

"Muggle photos don't move?" Fiona and Peter chorused, incredulously.

"No!"

"That's strange," remarked Remus breaking his silence.

Lily read the card. It was that of Nicolas Flamel, an alchemist. "Wow, he's positively _ancient,_" she muttered. 

She unwrapped another Chocolate Frog, and saw a picture of Albus Dumbledore, who was smiling and waving at her. "Now I know what he looks like," Lily said, softly.

"What who looks like?" said Fiona.

"The Headmaster. He seems kind."

"Oh. Craig said that he's, erm, a bit daft."

"Do any of you want to play chess? I have a board," offered Remus.

"Yes, I would like to. I love chess!" Lily replied.

The compartment door slid open once again and presented Craig and three of his friends.

"Oy, get out. This is ours," yelled Fiona.

"Oh, stuff it, billiwig. How are the fresh bloods doing?"

"We were _fine_ until you and your trolls walked in!"

"Now, now, Fiona, let's not get too excited, shall we?"

"Oooh, Sasha baby, oooh, um, so lovely and kissable," Fiona moaned while puckering her lips.

Lily, Peter, Remus, and Fiona laughed loudly as Craig, blushing furiously, backed quickly out of the compartment. His friends followed.

"All right, Remus, let's play chess!"

"We'll take turns. Peter or Fiona will take the place of whomever loses, eh?" said Remus.

Lily nodded her head.

Remus pulled out a board and chess pieces from his trunk. "White or black?" he said to Lily.

"Black."

Lily saw that the pieces came alive.

"Wow! They talk and move by themselves. Brilliant!"

"You mean Muggle pieces don't?"

"No! Not at all!"

"How _boring_!" Remus replied.

About thirty minutes later, Lily emerged victorious.

"Who wants to play me next?" Lily said to Peter and Fiona.

"I will," shouted Fiona.

Almost fifteen minutes later, Fiona announced her defeat.

"You're really good at this, Lily."

Peter played next, and surprisingly performed much better than Remus and Fiona but in the end, about an hour later, his king yielded to Lily. The girls and boys continued to play as the day progressively descended into darkness. Sometime later, they realised that the train was slowing down.

"We must be near the school. We should put on our robes, now," Fiona declared.

They scrambled around the compartment, rummaged in their trunks, and pulled out their black robes. By the time the train had stopped, they were seated with their robes on. They all had nervous expressions on their faces. Too soon, they were stepping off the Scarlet Express.

"Leave your trunks, owls, and cats, please. They will be taken to your rooms after you are sorted," proclaimed a shrill voice.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"1

Lily glanced over in the direction of the voice, and gasped. The man was huge! Lily had never seen anyone as tall as the man before her. He had to be at least three meters tall, and with a ton of hair on his face and head!

"That's Hagrid, the gamekeeper," whispered Fiona in her ear.

"Over here. That's right! Firs' years, follow me," boomed Hagrid.

Lily, Fiona, Peter, and Remus, along with the rest of the first years, moved toward the giant man.

"No more'n four to a boat!"2

Lily, Fiona, Peter, and Remus climbed into a boat.

"All right? Everyone in? FORWARD!"3

They then sailed silently across the still, dark lake to a great and imposing castle with many turrets and towers. Some of the windows were lit with a warm glow. Lily wished they had arrived during the day so that she could see the castle properly. Soon, they entered the castle walls through a tunnel, into an underground harbour, and stopped.

"Everyone out, now. Watch yer step," Hagrid thundered, his voice echoing off the close walls.

They walked across the lawn, and then up a flight of stone steps leading up to a huge, oak door. Hagrid raised his fist and knocked loudly. A tall, very stern-faced woman in forest green robes opened the door and stared down at the group.

"Here they are, Professor, the firs' years."

"Thank you. I will take them from here, Hagrid. Follow me, children." She propped the door wide open to allow them in.4

"I'm Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, and Head of Gryffindor House."

They followed Professor McGonagall who led them into a magnificently large entrance hall, larger than some homes Lily had been in. She glanced up and saw that the ceiling was far, far above them. Professor McGonagall ushered them into a small chamber to the right of the reception area. They crowded into the small room. Each student wore a look of fright or apprehension on his or her face. Lily wondered what would happen next.

**---------**

_1J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, (Scholastic Press, 1998), p111._

_2J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, (Scholastic Press, 1998), p111. _

_3J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, (Scholastic Press, 1998), p112. _

_4J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, (Scholastic Press, 1998), p112. _


	5. First Night

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter V: _First Night_**

"Welcome to Hogwarts. In a moment, you will be taken into the Great Hall to participate in the start-of-term banquet. However, before the banquet begins, each of you will be sorted into your house. The Sorting Hat is responsible for carrying out the important Hogwarts Sorting Ceremony. Your house will be your home while you are at Hogwarts, and the students in your house will be your family.1

"There are four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own honourable history and has produced some of the finest wizards and witches. Each of you will be responsible for earning house points. Good deeds, championship, and exceptional skills and qualities will earn your house points. Conversely, breaking rules will assuredly lose house points. The House Cup is awarded, at the end of the year, to the house with the most points. I hope that each of you will strive to earn many points for your house.2

"Now, form a queue, please. Shortly, we will walk into the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony." Professor McGonagall left the chamber, and then promptly returned a few minutes later.

"Follow me."

The first years followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall. There were four long tables in the room of which many students were already seated. Gold plates and goblets were placed in front of each student. The first years stood on a raised platform in front of the Great Hall with the rest of the students gazing up at them. Lily glanced behind her to peek at the teachers. She quickly turned around and stared at her feet when she spotted several teachers looking back at her.

Professor McGonagall positioned a stool in front of them. She then placed a tattered wizard's hat atop it. A large rip near the hat's brim opened, and the hat began to sing! Lily's mouth dropped ajar in astonishment. She wondered how the hat could be singing. Quickly, she turned around to determine which teacher was controlling it. _Who is the ventriloquist?_ she thought. Lily continued to gaze about trying to discover the source of the oddity. She happened to glance up at the ceiling, and then gasped in awe. The ceiling appeared as though it were the nighttime sky. Lily could see stars, and a crescent moon of which a thin cloud floated by and briefly obstructed it. _Is this ceiling made of glass?_ she wondered.

Lily stared out across the Great Hall, and nearly shouted out in surprise. There were so many wonderful and enchanting elements in this Hogwarts! _Are those really ghosts?_ she said to herself in disbelief. There was an apparition floating at each table.

"I will now call each of your names. When your name is announced, take the Sorting Hat, sit on this stool, and then place the hat on your head."

Slightly disappointed, Lily realised that she missed the Sorting Hat's song. Fascinated by the ceiling, she furtively glanced up at it again.

"ALLSPICE, PATRICIA"

A tall, thin girl with frizzy, strawberry-blonde hair and numerous freckles ran to the stool and plopped down. She put the hat on her head. It immediately screamed,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

She stepped down from the platform and walked over to a table where many students were standing, loudly clapping, and waving. A large painting of a badger was hanging behind their table.

"ARBUCKLE, OLIVER"

A small boy with large brown eyes and a mop of honey-blonde hair sat on the stool and placed the hat on his head. A short pause later, the hat yelled,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Arbuckle ran down the platform, and joined the table where a number of students were whistling, cheering, and shouting him over. A gold and red crest of a lion blazed behind the Gryffindors' table.

"AVERY, PERTINAX"

A tall, sullen, thin-faced boy with long, dark hair sauntered over to the stool and dropped the hat onto his head.

A few seconds later, the Sorting Hat, screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Amidst a mixture of boos, catcalls, and raucous applause, Avery joined the table with a painting of a serpent looming over it.

"BLACK, SIRIUS"

A handsome boy with dark hair strolled calmly over to the stool with hands in his pockets. He sat down and nonchalantly put the hat on his head. A brief hesitation, then,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"BRENTWOOD, TOBY"

The bespectacled boy with lovely brown curls rushed to the stool and knocked it over in his haste to sit on it. Everyone laughed. He grinned, placed it aright, grabbed the hat, and placed it on his head while sitting down. About a minute later, the hat shouted,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"CRAVEN, DAISY"

The pretty girl with long, bright gold ringlets sat on the stool.

"GRYFFINDOR"

"ERSTWHILST, INGA"

"SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat screamed, barely touching her head.

Erstwhilst vaguely reminded Lily of Gertrude, her old nemesis back at March Worthing.

"EVANS, LILY"

Lily sat on the stool and placed the hat on her head. It was so big that it nearly covered her face.

"Hullo, Lily," said the Sorting Hat chummily. "Hmm, where should I put you? I see that you are quite intelligent, clever...and witty, too! Alas, I also see someone who would fight vainly and determinedly for what is good and just. There is no doubt; the place for you is...

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily stepped down, and walked over to the table with a lion crest behind it. Craig, Fiona's brother, was smiling and waving her over.

"Here, Lily, you can sit next to me."

"Good evening, lass," said the ghost at the table, "I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington."

"Er, hullo."

Sir Nicholas was wearing maroon clothing with a lacy ruff. Lily observed that he persisted in toying with his collar as though he were attempting to hide something on his neck.

Craig caught Lily staring at Sir Nicholas, and said loudly enough so that the ghost could hear, "Everyone calls him Nearly Headless Nick on account that his head is being held onto his neck by only a thin shred of skin."

Lily's eyes widened. "Oh."

Nearly Headless Nick acted as though he were offended, and floated farther down the table.

"FURNACE, TABITHA"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"You're going to really like Gryffindor, Lily," said Craig. "We have the best House. Our House nearly always wins the Quidditch Cup, and sometimes we tie with Ravenclaw with the most O.W.Ls and highest scores on the N.E.W.Ts."

"What are O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts?"

"O.W.Ls are Ordinary Wizarding Levels and N.E.W.Ts are Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests."

Lily frowned. "Are the tests that hard? I'm not sure I know that much magic."

"Don't worry. You don't have to worry about them until you're in your fifth year."

"Oh."

"Oy, McKinnon, are you trying to scare the fresh bloods already?" teased a very handsome black boy, of about fourteen years old, across the table.

"Nah, she isn't afraid, Virgil. Are you, Lily?"

"No."

She gazed up toward the front of the hall and spotted Headmaster Dumbledore. He seemed more imposing in person than in his photo.

"KERNVILLE, AZUSA"

"SLYTHERIN!" yelled the Sorting Hat.

"LUPIN, REMUS"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily stood and shouted, "Remus, over here. Sit here, Remus!" She slid over so that he could sit next to her.

"Hello!" Lily grinned at Remus. "I'm so glad you're in the same house as me! I was afraid I wouldn't know anyone in my year in this house. Oooh, it looks like Fiona is next. Cross your fingers! Let's hope she is sorted into Gryffindor."

Lily and Remus closed their eyes and pled desperately that Fiona was put into Gryffindor.

"MCKINNON, FIONA"

A moment later,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily screamed, jumped up and down, and hugged Remus, who blushed furiously. Lily was so thrilled that Fiona was sorted in Gryffindor that she did not notice Remus' red face or the fact that she had hugged a boy.

"Fiona! Fiona, over here!" yelled Lily.

Fiona squeezed in between Lily and Remus.

"Drat! Must I always be pestered by the billiwig?" Craig teased.

"Oh, shut up, toothless vampire!"

"Close the hole, clumsy Mummy!"

"Make like a tree and leave, wrinkled git with the trots!"

Lily and Remus looked at each other and shook their heads.

"You two are daft, you know that?" giggled Lily.

"You're missing the sorting." Virgil silenced them.

Craig directed his attention back to the front of the hall.

"Oy, Lily, would you like a Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean?"

"All right."

Fiona gave her a yellow bean-shaped candy. Lily, thinking it was lemon flavoured, promptly popped it into her mouth and began to chew. Gagging, she immediately spat it out.

"_Disgusting_! What _is_ it?" She tried to rub the taste from her mouth with her sleeve.

Fiona doubled up with laughter. "Wh-what, did, did, it, ta-taste like?"

"I don't know," Lily grimaced. "Pee?"

Just then, Craig glared at them and told them to be quiet.

"Oh! Peter is next," exclaimed Fiona.

"PETTIGREW, PETER"

Lily, Fiona, and Remus held their breaths.

After about a minute, the Sorting Hat shouted,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily, Fiona, and Remus cheered and applauded with the rest of the Gryffindors, and waved Peter over to where they sat.

Peter sat next to Remus.

"POTTER, JAMES"

They watched as the next boy walked up to the stool. He was bespectacled and rather small and skinny with wild, black hair.

Fiona whispered to Lily, "I think he forgot to comb his hair."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindors erupted in loud cheering. James responded by bowing to the hall. He would not stop, and soon everyone was laughing. He continued to bow, appearing quite ridiculous bobbing up and down, until Professor McGonagall ordered,

"POTTER! GO TO YOUR TABLE, NOW."

The hall roared, and everyone clapped as he made his way to the Gryffindor table. Potter sat next to Black, who grinned and winked at him.

"What a funny fellow!" commented Fiona.

Lily thought that Sirius was the handsomest boy she had seen so far in their year.

"RIDGECREST, RAINA"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"ROSIER, EVAN"

A dark-haired, tanned, handsome boy went up to the stool and put the hat on. The Sorting Hat barely touched Rosier's head when it shrieked, "SLYTHERIN."

Rosier ran to the Slytherin table with a smirk on his face.

"SNAPE, SEVERUS"

The thin boy with a mop of shiny, black hair hanging in his eyes sat on the stool and plopped the hat on. It barely touched his head, when it screamed,

"SLYTHERIN!"

"TOOKSBIT, SAMANTHA"

A bespectacled girl with long, straight blonde hair sat down and placed the hat on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"URCHINN, ANDERS"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"WILKES, DAMIEN"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"WITTLESTON, IVY"

"GRYFFINDOR"

"YOLKE, TARA"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"ZEPHYR, ANTHONY"

"RAVENCLAW"

As Zephyr made his way over to the Ravenclaw table, which had a painting of an eagle against a blue background behind it, Professor McGonagall picked up the stool and hat, and carried them away.

Headmaster Dumbledore rose from his chair.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!"

The Great Hall rang with applause.

"Now to business: First, let me remind you, the Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students. Ignore my warning, and we may never see you again."

A frightened expression appeared on the first years' faces at this pronouncement. Lily wondered whether the headmaster was pulling a joke he alone found amusing.

"In addition, I warn each and every one of you to stay away from the willow tree that was planted during the summer holidays. It has a reputation for, er, striking when approached."

Several murmurs greeted this announcement.

"Now! Let's introduce this year's Head Boy, Head Girl, and the Prefects. For the benefit of the first years, I will explain. If you maintain exceptional grades you will have the opportunity to become a Prefect in your fifth, sixth, or seventh year. The boy and girl who end up with the highest scores in Hogwarts at the end of the sixth year become Head Boy and Head Girl in their seventh year.

"As I call your name, please stand."

He then proceeded to announce the name of each house Prefect.

After the cheering died off, Dumbledore resumed.

"I proudly present this year's Head Boy and Head Girl: Antonin Dolohov of Slytherin and Judith Owlsbuckle of Ravenclaw."

Everyone applauded as the Head Boy and Head Girl stood. Judith Owlsbuckle had dark, glossy tresses and heavy lidded eyes. Lily thought Dolohov was sinister looking. Of all the boys, he was the only one with facial hair: a goatee.

Dumbledore raised his hand for silence.

"Again, for the first year's benefit, let me introduce the Heads of Houses. You have already met Professor McGonagall, but Professor, why don't you stand anyway?"

The students clapped politely.

"Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor, teaches Transfiguration. An excellent Professor she is. I recommend, however, that you do not engage in foolish behaviour in her class. Thank you Professor, you may sit down. Ah, the Head of Hufflepuff House. Please stand, Professor Sprout.

"Professor Sprout is our famous Professor of Herbology. You will have plenty of opportunity to become acquainted with the, no doubt, interesting plants growing in her greenhouses. For those students in anguish over those unsightly and unwelcome, er, zits..." Everyone laughed. "Professor Sprout will become your close friend."

Dumbledore smiled as everyone cheered for Professor Sprout.

"Now, Head of Ravenclaw: Professor Flitwick. Please stand, Professor. Oh dear, I apologise. You _are_ standing."

The hall filled with laughter. Professor Flitwick was rather short.

"No offence taken, Headmaster. Apology accepted," smiled Professor Flitwick.

"Professor Flitwick is our Charms Professor. You will learn every charm from A to Z under his tutelage. If you are ever feeling down in the dumps and want a quick pick-me-up, see Professor Flitwick."

When the clapping died off, Dumbledore cleared his throat, and said, "As most of you know, sadly, we lost our previous Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, Sally Munchausen, to unfortunate circumstances at the end of last term. She will be sorely missed, that I am sure, by the staff and her former students. Let us remember her with a moment of silence."

The staff and students bowed their heads in silence.

"Thank you for remembering Professor Munchausen." He cleared his throat again.

"Some of you may recognize our new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. After all, some of you attended Hogwarts with him. He is the youngest member of our staff. Please welcome, Professor Wilhelm Konrad. Please stand, Professor."

The clapping by the students was interspersed with hooting by some of the boys and giggling by a number of girls. Professor Konrad was extremely handsome with unruly dark hair and arresting blue eyes. He was in his early twenties.

"I see that you are going to be quite popular with our, erm, _softer_ students, Professor," Dumbledore remarked with obvious merriment. "You may sit down. Two words: Orion! Tap!"

He then sat down. Lily turned to see that the table had been magically filled with food. It was then she realised that she was starving. The food was delicious, and she especially enjoyed the crepe suzette, apple dumplings, meatloaf rich with gravy, and the treacle tarts. She stuffed herself.

After the pudding, Headmaster Dumbledore stood.

"A brief announcement before we retire: By order of Mr. Filch, our caretaker, there will be absolutely no magic, running, or gum chewing in the corridors between lessons.

"For those who are interested in playing for their house Quidditch team, see Madam Hooch. Trials will take place the second week of the term.

"Finally, before we head for our beauty rest, let us all participate in singing the school song!"

Dumbledore waved his wand, and lyrics appeared in the air above their tables.

"Pick your favourite refrain, and on the count of three, we will begin singing. One, two, three…"

The Great Hall erupted in a sound of many harmonious voices. Lily, feeling silly and exhausted, stumbled through the unfamiliar song. When the music ended, Dumbledore said, "To all, a goodnight!"

"Oooh, I feel so stupid and sleepy," Lily told Fiona while yawning.

"Me, too."

"Will they allow us to take some treacle tarts to our rooms, if we ask?" Remus said, sleepily.

"No," laughed Craig. "Let's go, you stuffed and dopey geese."

"Come along. First years, follow me," directed William Prentice, a prefect.

They followed William, the first years noticeably dragging their feet. William led them up a marble staircase, through numerous corridors, and doorways hidden behind sliding panels and tapestries. Lily tiredly thought that they must have walked eight kilometres. Eventually, they arrived at the end of a corridor where a portrait of a very obese woman in a frilly, flowery dress hung sentinel.

"Password?" The Fat Lady ordered.

"Triumph," supplied William.

The portrait swung forward and revealed a round hole in the wall. They climbed through, and discovered themselves in a circular room furnished with cushy, overstuffed chairs in red and gold fabric surrounding oak tables. There was a fireplace on one side of the cosy room with large bay windows covering the entire wall on another end. One side contained a bookcase. The floor was covered with a deep reddish brown, plush carpet.

"This is the common room," stated William. "Ashley, why don't you escort the girls to their dormitory?" added William as Ashley Rosamond, a prefect, stepped into the common room.

"Boys, follow me," said William.

Lily and the other first year girls followed Ashley up a narrow, winding staircase. At the top, Ashley directed them to a gold door with a carving of a fish upon it.

"First, let me show you the toilets."

Ashley opened the door, and they walked into a very large bathroom. One side contained the toilets, each in its own roomy stall containing a cupboard with extra rolls of paper and other personal items. The bathroom had separate showers, each in its own spacious and completely private stall. The faucets were bronze and silver. Lily noticed that the faucets were labelled, "Shocked Wide Awake," "Just Open My Eyes," "Normal," and "Destroy All Bacteria," instead of simply "hot" and "cold." They exited, and Ashley led them to a door with a large number five engraved upon it. She opened it, and they entered.

"This is your room, girls. It's late, and you must be up early for lessons tomorrow. Goodnight." With that farewell, Ashley left the room and closed the door behind her.

Each four-poster was identical, with gold bedspreads and a flowery printed throw on top. The beds' gold, velvet curtains were trimmed with red lace. A window, containing a seat with plush pillows, was next to each bed. Lily realised that their room must be in one of the towers.

"This is nice," she exclaimed. Lily then spotted Snowball sleeping on one of the four-posters.

"Snowball!"

Lily ran to the bed. Snowball lifted up his head and meowed sleepily with eyes half closed. She jumped onto the bed, gathered up Snowball in her arms, and hugged him close. He purred loudly. Lily spotted a note on her pillow, picked it up, and read,

> > > _Dear Miss Evans,_
>>> 
>>> _Your cat has been fed and watered. Each day he will be fed good, wholesome, and healthy food and given plenty of water so as to prevent bowel irregularities._
>>> 
>>> _You will find his litter box in a discreet panel by the door. It is magically emptied and cleaned after each use so as to prevent unpleasant odours. Your cat knows where to find the box._
>>> 
>>> _Sincerely,_
>>> 
>>> _Hogwarts Housekeeping Staff_

Lily smiled.

"Well, Snowball, it looks like you're King Cat at Hogwarts!"

She yawned, went to her trunk, and pulled out her nightgown. She put it on and hopped into bed.

"Fiona?"

"Hmmm?" replied Fiona groggily, already tucked beneath her bedcovers.

"What's your owl's name?"

"Capricorn."

"Oh. Where do you live?"

"Windermere."

"Really? That isn't far from Keswick, where I live. You'll have to come and visit me some day."

"All right."

"Goodnight, Fiona."

"'Night, Lily."

**---------**

_**Note:** I have no idea how prefects are selected. I'm sure we will find out in a future interview or book. If I'm wrong, please don't flame me. This was posted on the **19th of May, 2001**._

_1J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, (Scholastic Press, 1998), p114._

_2J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, (Scholastic Press, 1998), p114._


	6. School Days

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter VI: _School Days_**

At breakfast, on the first day of school, Lily, Fiona, Remus, Peter, and Samantha looked over their class schedule while finishing their meal. Earlier, Lily was shocked by a swarm of assorted owls invading the Great Hall. The owls were delivering mail to a number of students.

Munching on a piece of toast with plum jam on it, Lily said, "All right, on Mondays and Wednesdays we have Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Care of Magical Creatures. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have History of Magic, Potions, and Charms, and on Friday we have Flying Lessons and Astronomy with the Slytherins, and Herbology with the Ravenclaws.

"We better leave early so that we aren't late for Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall looks mean. I don't think she'll be very happy if we're late for her class, even if we do get lost."

It took them twenty minutes to find the Great Hall on account of them getting lost. It certainly did not help that the resident poltergeist, Peeves, made matters worse for them until they wizened up and ignored his "help."

They rose from the table, and prepared to leave for their first Hogwarts' lesson.

"Oh, wait! I have an idea," exclaimed Lily while grabbing some parchment, a textbook, and a quill from her bag. "I'll write down the directions as we go. That way we'll know where to go tomorrow."

"Brilliant!" replied Samantha. "The class is in Northeast Tower, third floor."

They walked down the corridor and up a flight of stairs hoping that they were heading in the right direction. Their progress was a little slow due to Lily stopping frequently to take notes.

"This must be it," said Peter.

They were facing a door. Peter opened it, but, alas, there was only a wall behind it!

"Why, the adults must be awfully strange pulling funnies like this on the students!" Lily frowned in indignation.

"Over here!" Fiona shouted. "Here's another door. Perhaps it's real."

Remus tried to open it. "I think it's locked."

"Maybe it needs a password. Oh dear, this is so frustrating!" Lily ran her hand through her hair.

"This is all very odd," remarked Samantha. "Why don't we ask it to open up for us?"

"DOOR, I COMMAND YOU TO OPEN UP!" Remus said.

Nothing happened.

Remus shrugged.

"Let me try." Lily stepped up to the door. "Er, Sir Door, won't you allow us to come through? Please, erm, nice Door?"

The door opened. Incredulous, they gazed at one another. Shaking their heads, they entered and found themselves in another corridor. Ivy, Daisy, Oliver, and a few unfamiliar first years could be seen, up ahead, walking into a classroom.

"That must be our Transfiguration class!" Remus ran ahead.

The rest followed him. They entered the room and quickly found seats.

Professor McGonagall sternly gazed at them, and then proclaimed, "Transfiguration is not to be taken lightly. It is the most complicated and dangerous subject you will study in Hogwarts. Therefore, don't think of this lesson as fun. It isn't. I have no patience for tomfoolery in my class. If you feel compelled to engage in asinine behaviour, I assure you that you will never set foot in my class ever again for as long as you or I live.

"You, boy, what is your name?" she said to a thin, pale-faced boy with dark hair.

"Piers. Piers Nozhayr, ma'am."

James and Sirius sniggered.

Professor McGonagall gave them a look of warning, and then glanced down at a roll of parchment in front of her.

"Hufflepuff, I see. Nozhayr, come to the front of the class. Come, now."

Lily could see, from her peripheral vision, James and Sirius shaking with mirth. She wondered what they found so humorous.

Piers nervously approached Professor McGonagall's desk. The rest of the class glanced at one another wondering what he could possibly have done wrong.

Professor McGonagall took out her wand, pointed it at Piers, and said, "_Transporto_."

The class gasped in unison while James and Sirius doubled-up with laughter. Nozhayr now had long, frizzy, strawberry-blonde hair and many freckles.

"Oh dear!"

They looked around and saw that the girl who shouted had closely cropped, dark hair, and was feeling around the top of her head.

"Please, please Professor, I would like it back. Not the freckles, though. Nozhayr can keep them," the girl wailed.

Sirius and James fell onto the floor, where they rolled about and guffawed hysterically.

"Potter, Black, get control of yourselves. NOW!"

The boys staggered back into their seats with faces red from laughing so hard. They continued to shake with mirth.

"_Honestly_, it is not _that_ amusing," said Professor McGonagall in a scolding voice. "I should hope you two would control your behaviour better in the future."

Then with the barest hint of a smile on her lips, Professor McGonagall beckoned the girl with closely cropped hair to come to the front of the room.

"What is your name?"

"Patricia. Patricia Allspice of Hufflepuff, Professor."

Professor McGonagall pointed her wand at Allspice and said, "_Remeo_."

Allspice and Nozhayr returned to their original states.

"You two may be seated."

Nozhayr and Allspice went to their desks.

"I have just provided you with a taste of what you will learn in Transfiguration. Simply put, in my class you will learn how to change the form or appearance of various objects. In today's lesson, you will learn how to change your quill into a feather."

First, they had to take mind-boggling notes on the particular transfiguration they would attempt to use. During the second half of the class, they were asked to place their quills on their desks and turn them into peacock feathers using what they had learned. The only students who managed to accomplish this feat by the end of the lesson were Lily, James, and Sirius. Lily was immensely proud that she actually transfigured her quill into a beautiful peacock feather. Professor McGonagall displayed their feathers for all the students to see.

"Excellent! You three are the first who have ever accomplished this on the first day of lessons. Fifty points for Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall surprised the entire class by smiling warmly at Lily, James, and Sirius.

Lily beamed, and the rest of the Gryffindors cheered.

"That was great! We earned fifty points on the first day!" Fiona exuberantly stated as they, and the rest of the class, walked down the corridor in search of the location of their next lesson.

The Gryffindors first Care of Magical Creatures lesson was interesting. The first creature they studied was a foal, a snowy white, _winged_ foal. They "oohed" and "ahhed" over it. The Professor even allowed them to pet and feed it. Professor Isabella Sandolini was an exchange professor from Italy. She was teaching at Hogwarts, for the second year, to improve her English. She was also quite beautiful. Lily and Fiona amusingly noticed that throughout the entire lesson, Remus watched Professor Sandolini with a dreamy, and rather comical, expression on his face.

After a tasty and filling lunch, they went to Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons. Remarkably, they managed to arrive to class on time, and without getting lost on the way.

Professor Konrad began the lesson by taking the roll call. Lily blushed when he called her name.

"I believe it is important that you learn the Dark Arts before attempting to learn defence," Professor Konrad announced while strolling around the room and up and down the rows of desks.

"It is illogical, in my humble opinion, to defend yourself against hexes and curses that you know very little about. So! In my class you will learn everything there is to know about the Dark Arts.

"In today's lesson, you will learn about the Blind Hex. First, allow me to give you a demonstration."

He then exited the class, and walked into an adjoining room. The students whispered excitedly amongst themselves. Professor Konrad returned with a white dove in a cage.

"Now, watch closely!" He waved his hand in front of the dove in a sweeping gesture, and said something that sounded like "occaeco" to Lily.

"Pay attention!"

Professor Konrad opened the cage and prodded the bird out. The dove began to fly around the room aimlessly and recklessly. The students ducked as the dove swooped over their heads. It crashed into the window and walls several times. Flapping its wings madly, it ricocheted off one wall and landed heavily on Anders' head.

"Gerroff! Gerroff me!" said Anders waving his arms about his head.

Worried, Lily saw that Anders had been scratched on the face.

The bird fell to the floor and proceeded to walk into chair and desk legs. Lily felt sorry for the dove. It took off again and quickly bashed its head on Professor Konrad's desk. Wondering when Professor Rosier would put a stop to the madness, Lily and James leapt from their seats. One of the bird's wings appeared injured. It flapped around on the floor for a moment, and haphazardly took flight again. It flew straight into the blackboard, and crash-landed. A few of the girls screamed. Lily ran to the front of the room, and before the bird could make another mad flight attempt, she carefully picked it up and gently stroked its feathers.

"It's all right. I have you now," Lily crooned to the injured dove.

"Thank you, Miss Evans, for rescuing the bird before it dashed out it brains." Professor Konrad went to her. "You can hand it over to me now."

He placed the dove into the cage.

"Ah, a victim for Professor Sandolini to mend. Miss Evans, you can take your seat. Now! Who can tell me why that bird was behaving in such a bizarre fashion?"

Samantha's hand shot up.

"Miss Tooksbit?"

"Why, sir, you _blinded_ it!"

"That is obviously correct. Five points to Gryffindor for being so attentive. Now, open your Dark Forces textbook to page one hundred and seventeen."

The rest of the lesson was devoted to learning a defence against the Blind Hex. It was quite terrifying for the students when Professor Konrad put the hex on each of them in order for them to learn the proper defence against it. Their homework assignment was to learn how to carry out the Blind Hex. Professor Konrad told them that the next time they met, they would place the hex on each other, in which they would try to effectively block it.

"Well, we made it through the first day," Lily commented as she, Fiona, Ivy, Samantha, Daisy, Remus, Peter, and Anders entered the common room.

"Which lesson did you like best, so far?" Ivy said.

"Care of Magical Creatures," Remus immediately responded.

Lily laughed. "But, of course! Isa-bellllll-la is teaching it. Remus is in love with Professor Sandolini," she teased.

"No, I'm not!" said Remus, face crimson. "I just think she's, er, pretty. Besides, who is madly in love with Professor Konrad, eh? I saw you in class batting your eyelashes and going all red every time he passed your desk, I did!"

Lily, face beet red, yelled, "I did not!"

"Did too!"

"Not!"

"Did!"

"Oy, cut it out you two!" laughed Virgil as he, Craig, and some other fourth year boys entered.

"How was the billiwig's first day at Hogwarts?" Craig said to Fiona while grabbing her and mussing her hair.

"Gerroff me, Craig, you oversized cow pie!"

*******

By far, their most memorable professor was Professor Olancha Chloride, who taught Potions. She was a sight to behold. When Lily first laid eyes on her she thought she looked like a cross between a goat and, well, she really didn't know what.

Professor Chloride wore small spectacles, which she kept at the end of her nose and attached to a silver chain around her neck. She had very large hazel eyes, which were decidedly crossed. Her hair was grey, wavy, and appeared quite wiry. She kept it in a strange style: two long clumps sticking straight into the air like horns atop her head. The back of her head was completely bald. All of her teeth were of various colours: yellow, green, blue, red, and purple. She had tufts of hair growing from her ears, ten long strands of hair dangling from her chin, and a long, hook-like nose on which the end of it were large, flaring nostrils. Around her neck, she wore a heavy gold chain with the stuffed head of a chipmunk that appeared to have died in a very foul temper. Lily didn't know whether she should be entertained or frightened by the Potion professor's appearance.

Throughout the lesson, Professor Chloride would suddenly laugh shrilly and loudly without reason. The first few times she did this, the students jumped about forty centimetres from their chairs. Most laughed nervously with her. The exceptions were James and Sirius who obviously thought Professor Chloride was highly entertaining. As a result, she became fodder for many of their silly jokes. Lily thought that Professor Chloride laughed remarkably like a hyena.

Professor Chloride made a big to-do about the different potions they would learn in her class. Curiously, she referred to cauldrons as "precious" as in "heat your precious, my little monkeys." That was how she referred to her students, as "little monkeys." Lily was not sure she approved of this. James and Sirius used it as an opportunity to emit noises, scratch underneath their arms, and hop around like a monkey.

The students' first assignment was to learn about and write a roll of parchment on the various uses of belladonna.

The most boring lesson was History of Magic taught by the ghostly Professor Binns. He taught the lesson in a dreadful monotone while James and Sirius occasionally manufactured fake and exaggerated snores. At one point in class, Lily whispered to Fiona, "Does he know that he's dead?"

In Professor Sprout's class, they were grouped into fours and told that for the rest of the term they would stick with the same group as most of the lessons involved teamwork. Lily was paired with Fiona, Daisy, and a Ravenclaw girl named Catherine Indigo. A number of times, Professor Sprout had to yell at James and Sirius to pay attention. At the end of the lesson, she subtracted twenty points from Gryffindor for Potter and Black's "outrageously idiotic behaviour," which made the rest of the first year Gryffindors angry with Sirius and James for losing their house points.

At the end of her first week at Hogwarts, Lily wrote a letter to her parents as promised. She told them about her lessons, how she was able to turn her quill into a peacock feather, and about the baby winged horse. She also described Professor Chloride, the Great Hall, the food, and Gryffindor House. Lily ended her letter by describing the friends she had made. When she was done, she asked Fiona if she could borrow Capricorn, of which Fiona obliged.

Time passed smoothly, and before Lily knew it, it was mid-October. Already, it seemed as though she had been in Hogwarts for years. She had already settled into a comfortable routine. Fiona finally got over her disappointment at not being selected for Gryffindor's Quidditch Team.

*******

One fine, but brisk, October day found Lily, Fiona, and Daisy in the library, poring over books. A book entitled, The Witches of The Mississippi Delta was opened in front of Lily.

"Listen to this," whispered Lily. "Did you know that the witches of Mississippi have this custom where, on each night of the new moon, they shave their heads bald, dance non-stop to Muggle music called 'Rhythm and Blues,' and afterwards fly on their brooms, in great mass, into the direction of the rising sun?"

"Oh, why are we _doing_ this? Why are we in the library on a _Saturday_?" groaned Fiona.

"Fiona! We are trying to learn everything there is know about the history of magic so we won't have to pay attention in class," replied Lily exasperated.

"Binns is so, so incredibly boring! I can't concentrate in his class. I don't want to fail History of Magic."

"But Lily, you're making the highest score in our class!" remarked Daisy.

"Yes, but, Binns is so awfully dull. And he keeps calling me 'Miss Eggplant' or…" She grimaced. "'Miss Error.'"

Fiona and Daisy laughed.

Madam Pince appeared and gave them the evil eye. "If you cannot keep quiet, you will have to leave," she said.

When she left, Lily whispered, "I just don't think I can listen to Binns anymore. I'm afraid I'll fall asleep in class one day."

"Why not? We always do," suggested Fiona.

"Nah, I would feel guilty if I did. I never fell asleep in my Muggle school. If I learn all of the history now, I can study other stuff in class. Binns wouldn't notice."

"Sure, Lily, you just want to write on a roll of parchment over and over, 'I love Wilhelm Konrad,'" teased Daisy.

"I do not!" hissed Lily blushing.

"I saw you in Binns class writing it on a parchment, 'Lily loves Wilhelm,' so I did."

"Shhh!" Fiona, grabbing their attention, pointed to the bookcase behind them.

They heard a boy saying, "…aren't telling anyone about it."

"They ought to! After all, Professor Munchausen was _killed_. On Hogwarts property, she was," replied a girl.

"Are you sure about this, Gwen?"

"Yes! I'm sure of it, Lyle. I overheard Professor Sinistra talking to Professor Flitwick about it. Remember how she disappeared before the end of last term? They found her body outside one of the dungeons. It was _mangled_. Professor Flitwick said that it looked as though her hands and feet were chewed off. Flitwick even began to cry when he told Professor Sinistra about it."

"I don't understand. Why is the headmaster keeping this from the students? Don't we have a right to know? Gwen, what if, what if this was the work of the Dark Lord?"

"Shhh! Lyle, don't invoke his name! I'm frightened. Come, we should go now."

A sixth year boy and girl walked out from the other side of the bookcase, and exited the library.

Lily, Fiona, and Daisy looked at one another with identical stricken expressions on their faces.

Finally, Lily broke the silence, "That professor Headmaster Dumbledore talked about at the start-of-term banquet was _killed_? Here? Who did it? Why, you think it was one of the professors?" She glanced around fearfully as if an axe-bearing professor was going to appear at any moment.

"That Gwen girl is right. I think everyone should know about this. Hogwarts isn't safe! The killer could be here now," Fiona exclaimed fearfully with huge eyes.

"I've heard of this Dark Lord before. Once, I heard my parents talking about him, but they shut up when they saw that I was listening. They wouldn't tell me more, though. They told me I was too young to hear about it," spoke up Daisy.

"What part of it did you hear?" inquired Lily.

"Oh dear, it isn't so clear now. It was about a year ago. I only remember them saying that the Dark Lord was an evil wizard and that he was looking for followers. That's all I remember."

"Perhaps he has killed people," murmured Lily.

"I have an idea," Fiona piped up. "Judith, the Head Girl, was here. She'll probably know what happened to Professor Munchausen. Let's ask her."

"Are you sure she'll tell us?" Lily said, sceptically.

"It wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?"

"No, I guess not."

"Let's go then."

They grabbed their belongings and prepared to leave the library.

"Wait!" exclaimed Lily. "I must check this book out for Remus. He's visiting his ill mother again. I told him I would help him keep up with his assignments."

Awhile later, they were sitting outside the room where the prefects held their meetings, and impatiently waiting for Judith to show up. An hour later, the door swung open and the prefects noisily entered the corridor. Fiona leapt to her feet, beckoning Lily, Daisy, and Samantha, who had been filled in on the story, to follow. They spotted Judith Owlsbuckle and went up to her.

"Judith, may we ask you a question in private?"

"All right. McKinnon, is it?" said Owlsbuckle.

Fiona nodded her head.

Judith briefly scrutinised Fiona with a slightly puzzled expression on her face. "Er, why don't we go inside?"

They entered the room in which the prefects had left, and Owlsbuckle closed the door behind them.

"Erm, Judith, we would like to know what happened to Professor Munchausen. We heard that she was, er, killed."

Judith started and then narrowed her hooded eyes while gazing at Fiona suspiciously. In a low and threatening tone, she said, "McKinnon, where did you get this information?"

Fiona took a step back. Lily and the others girls were alarmed by the Head Girl's reaction.

"We, we heard some sixth years talking about it in the library."

"McKinnon, who did you hear talking about Professor Munchausen?" Owlsbuckle requested in a cold voice.

Lily was not so sure she liked the Head Girl.

"I, I don't know...just a sixth year boy and girl. I don't know who they are."

"What did they look like, McKinnon?"

"I, I, don't remember, Judith. Really."

"You are a lousy little liar, McKinnon. What about the rest of you? Can any of you tell me who they are or what they look like?"

Lily, Daisy, and Samantha quietly stared at their feet.

"Very well then. I will only say this once: Don't any of you mention Sally Munchausen again. Stay out of affairs that do not concern you. Understand?

"I SAID, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"Yes," they quietly replied.

"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor for the four of you being such liars and cowards." She then left the room, and slammed the door behind her.

"What's with her?" remarked Fiona astounded.

**---------**

_**Note:** No, I was not trying to turn Professor Chloride into a Gollum, for those of you who have read J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of The Rings. She does have that one little trait Gollum possesses, doesn't she? Gollum refers to the ring "to bring them all in the darkness and bind them (Tolkien)" as precious. Professor Chloride refers to cauldrons as precious. Hmm, if Gollum had ... oops can not say more. If you have not read The Lord of The Rings, what are you waiting for?_


	7. Pranks

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter VII: _Pranks_**

Since the confrontation with the Head Girl, Lily, Fiona, Samantha, and Daisy avoided her path. However, even into early November, they continued to discuss and speculate on the late Professor Munchausen's death. They spent numerous hours in the library trying, unsuccessfully, to find literature on deaths that occurred at Hogwarts. The only place they had not looked was the restricted section, of which a written permission from a professor was required. They did not have a prayer of receiving one. However, they did discover in Hogwarts, A History that there were a number of spells and enchantments protecting Hogwarts. This made them feel slightly better.

*******

"I have an idea. Let's ask Binns," Lily said, startling Fiona out of doze.

"Hmmm, what?" Fiona replied, sleepily.

They spent the last two hours in the library poring over books, which were spread out on the table in front of them. Fiona had fallen asleep with her head on a volume.

"Wake up, Fi. Let's ask Binns. He would know if there were any deaths, besides his, that occurred on Hogwarts property. Come. Let's go. He should still be in his office," Lily said while checking her watch.

"All right."

They grabbed their items and rushed from the library.

As they were climbing the stairs, Lily said in a hushed voice, "Perhaps we should not ask him right off. He may become suspicious if we do. We could ask him, er, does he know of anyone who has died on Hogwarts property in the last, erm, thirty years."

"That won't work, Lily. He may just say that he did. How about if we ask him, how many people died on Hogwarts property during the last thirty years?"

"Yes, that'll work. But, he may think we're only asking about people who died of old age or something. How about if we ask him if he knows anyone who has been _killed_ on Hogwarts property during the last thirty years? Binns wasn't killed, so it'll be all right to ask."

"Yes, that...."

"OOOOOOOH!" Lily and Fiona said in unison when something warm, wet, and sticky splattered their faces.

They wiped the mess from their eyes.

"WHAT?!" Lily exclaimed when she saw raspberries on her hands. She then spotted Peeves at the top of the stairs staring at them wickedly with two pies in his hands.

"PEEVES!" Lily and Fiona screamed, and ran up the last few steps after him.

Peeves laughed merrily, threw the remaining pies at them, and struck them both. They looked like a berry-stained nightmare. They were so angry that they recklessly proceeded to give chase.

"I HATE YOU, PEEVES!" Lily said.

"OOOH, WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU!" stated Fiona.

Peeves zoomed away, zigzagging down corridors, laughing, and making bizarre faces at them. Lily and Fiona gave a worthy pursuit. Peeves disappeared into a wall.

"HERE, FIONA! LET'S TAKE THIS CORRIDOR ON THE LEFT!" Lily said, gasping.

As they rounded the corridor, they collided into Mr. Filch, and nearly knocked him over.

"WHAT? THERE IS TO BE NO RUNNING IN MY CORRIDORS! PUNISHMENT FOR YOU TWO! WHAT? _WHAT_?!"

It dawned on Filch that Lily and Fiona were a mess of berries. He looked down and spied berries on himself.

Furious, with face red and a vein throbbing prominently on his forehead, he said, "Come with me, you devilish, rotten witches! Running and dirtying my corridors, you two are. This calls for drastic punishment. Come!" He grabbed their arms painfully.

"But, but, Mr. Filch, it wasn't...."

"Quiet, missy! I already know what you're going to say. And I tell you: _I don't want to hear it_! Not a word, I say! You're _guilty_. I saw you both running in and befouling my corridors. No more gabbing or I'll make things worse for you."

Lily made no further attempt at explanations. They were dragged down into Filch's cramped office, which had a number sinister or painful appearing objects hanging from the walls. His office smelled like old socks and unwashed armpits.

"Now, lets see. Fiona McKinnon. Offence: running in the corridors and, er, vandalizing Hogwarts property."

"What?!" Fiona stood up. "Sir, we were..."

"SHUT YOUR GOB AND SIT DOWN, YOU LITTLE TWIT! PUNISHMENT: clean all toilets on the first floor WITHOUT magic."

Lily and Fiona glared at him.

"Sir, may I say something?" Lily ventured.

"No! Hmm, Lily Evans. Crime: running in the corridors, vandalizing Hogwarts property, and, erm, insolence."

Flabbergasted, Lily stared at him.

"Punishment: clean all toilets on the second floor and mop the corridors, ALL OF THEM, on the third floor. Yes, that should do it."

"Please sir, this isn't fair," said Lily.

"Why isn't it fair, missy? Please explain to Argus Filch why he should let you two criminals go without punishment."

"You didn't hear our side of the story!" Fiona blurted, shooting daggers with her eyes at Filch.

"Your _story_? Your story! You don't _have_ a story. Neither of you do! I caught you red-handed."

"But you don't know why we were running!" Fiona retorted.

"Absolutely no running in the corridors!"

"Sir? Please, it wasn't our fault," Lily implored. "We were walking up the stairs when _Peeves threw pies at us_!"

"WHAT? PEEVES? WHAT KIND OF PIES?"

"Raspberry and blueberry."

Filch's face swelled and became an alarming shade of purple. He leapt from his chair, and ran into an adjoining room muttering words too foul to repeat as he went.

Perplexed, Lily and Fiona gazed at each other. They then heard a loud scream from Filch. Irate, he returned to the office.

"Peeves, I'm going to get you. Took my berry pies, he did! Berry pies me mum made for me birthday. My pies. Looking forward to eating them tonight, I was. I will get you, Peeves," he muttered as he rummaged about in his desk.

"Erm, sir, we ran in the corridors trying to catch Peeves," stated Lily.

"Yes, yes, berry pies are gone. Peeves is rotten. Told Dumbledore many times to banish him. A big pain in the arse, he is. You two can go now. Run along. I will take care of Peeves."

"Erm, you aren't going to punish us?" Fiona said incredulously, and earned a slap on the arm from Lily.

"Let's go, Fi," Lily hissed, dragging Fiona from the office by the arm.

Filch paid them no mind.

At the end of the corridor, they looked at one another and began to giggle. They laughed so hard that they ended up doubled up on the floor. Their tears of glee made tracks through their berry-stained faces. When their laughter subsided, they headed for the common room.

"Let's do start calling him 'Mr. Berry Pie,'" giggled Lily.

"Phoenix Song," Fiona said as they reached The Fat Lady.

"What happened to you two?" James and Sirius inquired.

"Peeves threw Filch's pies at us," replied Lily.

Sirius and James glanced at each other, then at them, and started laughing.

"Oh, shut up!" Fiona said as they ran up the spiralling stairs leading to the girls' dormitory.

As they were washing the berry juice from their faces, Lily told Fiona, "We can ask Binns after lesson tomorrow."

"All right."

*******

Lily sluggishly looked around and observed that half the class was asleep and the other half was either in a stupor or reading magazines. Professor Binns continued to drone on about an international hag convention.

"Fi," Lily whispered to Fiona, who had fallen asleep with her head on the desk. "Fiona, wake up." Lily poked her with a quill.

"Mmfff, whaaaat?"

"I'm going to find out whether Binns knows that he's dead. Now."

"How are you going to do that?"

"Watch." Lily wrinkled up two rolls of parchment into a large ball.

She waited for Professor Binns to turn his back. None of the other students were paying attention to her.

Professor Binns turned his back and Lily threw the parchment ball at him. It went through his upper torso and hit the blackboard. He quickly turned around and stared out at the students. A few roused from their stupor when the parchment struck the blackboard. Professor Binns resumed his original drone.

He turned to the blackboard again, and this time Lily threw a parchment ball through his head. It bounced off the board and onto the floor. Several students giggled. Sirius, now alert, grinned and winked at Lily. He rolled up a large ball composed of five rolls of parchment. Professor Binns glared at the class. He then returned to his drone about hags. Lily and Sirius let loose with their parchment balls as soon as his back turned. More students giggled. Professor Binns whipped around.

"I will not tolerate this type of behaviour in my class. Now, pay attention and stop throwing parchment at me! Where was I?" After a brief hesitation, he resumed his monotonous lecture.

Binns presented his back again, and this time more than half the class, including Fiona, James, Remus, and Peter threw parchment at him.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? I WILL NOT TOLERATE BEING TREATED IN SUCH A FASHION. DON'T THINK THAT BECAUSE I AM A GHOST I DON'T MIND HAVING PARCHMENT THROWN THROUGH ME! Yes, I know I am ghost! The behaviour of this class today has been despicable! Despicable, I say!"

He directed his angry gaze onto James and Sirius. "Patter and Blink, I know you two are behind this! Always wallowing in illogical behaviour. Fifty points from Gryffindor!"

Once the class settled down and nearly everyone returned to their original stupor, Lily leaned over and whispered to Fiona, "Now we know _he_ knows that he is dead."

After the lesson was over, Lily and Fiona approached Professor Binns.

"Er, sir, we have a question."

"Yes, what do you want to know, Miss Egghead?" Professor Binns replied, irritably.

"Erm, we would like to know how many people were killed on Hogwarts property during the past thirty years."

Professor Binns peered at them suspiciously.

"Why, Miss Evolve?"

"We're just curious, sir."

"Three. There have been three murders."

"When was the last one?" Fiona piped up.

"Well, I really shouldn't tell you two this, Miss McKibble."

"We won't tell anyone, sir. Promise," Lily responded.

"Oh, all right. The last one occurred just this year, in late spring."

Lily and Fiona glanced at each other.

"Sir, how was, er, the person killed?"

"Miss Eggplant, that is a bit too much for your tender ears to know. All I will say is that it was quite gruesome, the killing that was. Sick, really. Now, I must prepare for my next lesson. Run along now." Professor Binns then sailed into the blackboard into his adjoining office.

Sighing, Lily said, "Well, Fi, he didn't tell us what we didn't already know."

"But, we _do_ know now, Lily, that there has been at least three, _three_, murders on Hogwarts property.

*******

About a week later, rumours were flying around the school about a boy whose eye was nearly poked out by the Whomping Willow. Most of the first year boys and a number of older ones would dare one another to run up and try to touch the willow's trunk. A few reckless ones managed to get hit by the tree, resulting in minor bruises and cuts. The school found out, courtesy of Bertha Jorkins, that it was David Gudgeon, a second year Hufflepuff, who had nearly lost his eye. Madam Pomfrey had to close the curtains to the hospital wing to prevent students from walking by trying to peek in at David. Shortly after the incident, Dumbledore told the students that they were forbidden to go near the Whomping Willow. If any student disobeyed, that student would be expelled from Hogwarts. It was David's eye that really kept the students away.

*******

One night, while sitting on her bed writing separate letters to her parents regarding Christmas presents, Lily was hit on the head by a thrown pillow. Startled, she glanced up and saw Fiona, Daisy, Ivy, and Samantha staring at her with grins on their faces. Lily narrowed her eyes, and said, "All right, which one of you threw it?"

"Writing a letter to Professor Konrad, Lily?" inquired Daisy mischievously.

"No!" Lily responded, blushing. "It's to my parents. See?" She presented the parchments to them.

Laughing, Samantha threw a pillow at Lily. "Here! A kiss from Konrad!"

Lily narrowed her eyes at Samantha, grabbed her wand, pointed it at her pillow, and shouted, "_Leviosa_." She then punched the pillow across the room at Samantha. It flew off course and hit Ivy. In a few short minutes, the girls were engaged in a noisy pillow fight. Snowball crawled beneath one of the beds to stay out of the firing line. Fiona, Samantha, and Ivy's owls were hooting in consternation.

Melissa Snoflache, a prefect, stormed into the room and angrily shouted, "WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE?"

The girls stopped and stared at Melissa.

"Lily, this _must_ be your doing. After all, isn't hitting one another with pillows a Muggle sport?" Melissa said.

"She didn't start it, Melissa. It was me," admitted Fiona.

"Regardless of who started it, it is a Muggle sport, and therefore Lily must be held responsible for encouraging it. Now _please_ go to bed." She left, and shut the door behind her.

"Why does she have a problem with Muggles?" Ivy whispered after they were all in bed with the lights out.

"I don't know," replied Samantha pensively. "Some witches and wizards are like that, prejudiced against Muggles."

"Lily, I'm sorry for getting you into trouble," Fiona said with a tremulous voice.

"Don't worry, Fi. I'm not mad. Melissa does seem to have a problem with Muggles, though. Perhaps I should stay out of her way. Let's not do anything when she's around."

*******

One Saturday, Lily and Fiona were sitting in a corner of the common room hatching a plot.

"We must teach that Azusa Slytherin girl a lesson, Lily. She's always picking on you, calling you 'Carrots.' I mean really. Your hair is not even red. It is, but it's quite dark. It's almost auburn."

"Yeah. Oh!"

"What?"

"I have an idea."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Let's send a singing card to Professor Konrad from Azusa, a singing _love_ card."

"Oooh, you're _devious_, Lily!"

"Come, we can create one and have it delivered. I saw it in your latest_ Teen Witches_ magazine."

They ran upstairs to the room to locate the magazine.

"All right, how about this one? It says that when the card is opened a cupid pops out and sings a love song to the recipient."

"Hmm, that's good," replied Lily. "How about this one? It's meaner. Here, listen. '_Want to show your significant other how much you love him? Deliver the Love Number Ten, and he will simply throw himself at you. Comes complete with a singing cupid and large heart-shaped bubbles that surround your love interest, lifting him up, and carrying him to you. Only two Galleons. Order them while supplies last! We deliver everywhere and anywhere! Our goblins are the swiftest! Send your owl, now!_'''

"That's brilliant! Let's do it! We can both give a Galleon."

*******

The following Wednesday, while everyone was eating dinner in the Great Hall, a goblin dressed in a Cupid's get-up appeared at the High Table. Lily and Fiona glanced at each other, and stifled giggles. The goblin gave Professor Konrad a large, pink card. Professor Konrad, perplexed, opened it. Suddenly, the hall filled with the sound of a Cupid, floating above Professor Konrad, crooning a love song. Nearly everyone was momentarily shocked speechless. Lily and Fiona were shaking with pent-up laughter. Everyone was held hostage by the singing.

> > > _ "O, you are so beautiful to me._
>>> 
>>> _ Your eyes I love to drown in,_
>>> 
>>> _ Can't you see?_
>>> 
>>> _"O, love, you are so beautiful to me._
>>> 
>>> _ I want to hold you,_
>>> 
>>> _ Can't you see?_
>>> 
>>> __
>>> 
>>> _"O, my love, you are so beautiful to me._
>>> 
>>> _ I want to kiss your delicious lips,_
>>> 
>>> _ Don't you see?_

> > > _"O, dear love, you are so beautiful to me._
>>> 
>>> _ Come to Azusa._
>>> 
>>> _ She is I,_
>>> 
>>> _ Don't you see?"_

The Great Hall rang with laughter as Professor Konrad was lifted and carried to the Slytherin table by a number of large pink, heart-shaped bubbles. Professor Konrad was then deposited on the table in front of Azusa Kernville, who was beet red and in shock. Lily and Fiona were rolling on the floor howling with laughter. Azusa jumped up and ran from the hall with her best friend, Tara Yolke, tagging behind. Professor Konrad, smiling devilishly, leapt down and returned to the teachers' table. Eventually the laughter died down. 

Headmaster Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eyes said, "Ah! Love! The things it will make us do."


	8. Luna

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter VIII: _Luna_**

"Fi, do werewolves exist?"

"Aye."

"They do?"

"Sure, but there aren't many left."

"What happened to them?"

"Most were killed off. My dad said that only a few remain but they don't let on that they're werewolves. No one likes werewolves."

"So, there could be werewolves anywhere, right?"

"Erm, I guess so, but you wouldn't know it. They would be stupid to let on that they were werewolves. I wouldn't want to be around them. My mum and dad said that no wizard or witch in their right mind would befriend or hire a werewolf. The werewolf could bite you any old time, when the moon is full!"

"D'you think they would allow werewolves into Hogwarts?"

"Of course not! If my parents found out that I was in school with a werewolf, they would take me out of here real quick. I wouldn't want to stick around and get bitten."

"Even if the werewolf is nice?"

"_Lily_, no proper wizard or witch would want to be around a werewolf, nice or not! Besides, werewolves aren't nice when the moon is full. D'you want to go outside and build snowgoblins?"

*******

A few days later, Lily decided to spend some time in the library reading about werewolves. Fiona looked at her oddly and shrugged her shoulders when Lily told her that she would be in the library. However, Lily did not tell her the reason she would be there. Fiona did not seem too interested to know at any rate, and went off to pester her brother, Craig, and his friends.

In the library, she found much information on werewolves: how to distinguish them from regular wolves, which signs to look for to determine whether a witch or wizard was a werewolf, werewolf prey, and the wholesale slaughter of witches and wizards deemed to be werewolves. After an hour and a half of reading, Lily sighed. She had not told anyone, not even her best friend, Fiona, what she suspected.

_Just like this book, How to Spot a Werewolf, says. He disappears every month around the time of the full moon, and when he returns he always looks pale and sickly. I thought it was because of his ill mother_, she thought.

_He seems awfully nice. I can't imagine him biting me. Where does he go when he disappears? Does he really hunt down people to bite them? He's small! Perhaps he gets bigger when he transforms. I would like to see him transform, but at a safe distance. I wonder if he would try to attack me if I told him what I know. No. I don't think so. We're friends. I think I'll ask him, but not today_. With that resolve, she picked up her belongings and left for the Gryffindor tower.

*******

The following week, in Flying Lessons with Madam Hooch, the Gryffindors and Slytherins found themselves shivering on their brooms practicing various flight manoeuvres. It was already mid-December, and on this day, it had been snowing since early morning. That afternoon, the snow began to fall fast and heavy.

"Ow!" Oliver and Boris Henchman of Slytherin yelled as they collided into each other, nearly falling off their brooms.

The snow was falling so thick and fast that none of the students could see one another properly. Just then, Madam Hooch blew her whistle and shouted for them to come down.

"Class is dismissed early due to this dratted snow. You can do whatever you want. But without breaking any rules or creating a disturbance in the corridors!"

"Really, what is there to do, except sit in the library or our common room? We do that all the time!" Lily grumbled to Fiona, Samantha, Daisy, Ivy, Oliver, and Anders as they trudged up to the castle.

Whomp! Anders, Samantha, and Oliver were hit in the back by snowballs. All of them turned around and as they did so, all were hit in the face by snowballs thrown by the Slytherins. The war was on! Gryffindor and Slytherin staged a snowball fight, magical style. Charms were being used to aim snowballs with deadly accuracy. Both factions were having much fun, though. Lily realised that Azusa Kernville, Tara Yolke, and Inga Erstwhilst had marked her.

"Fi, you must help me!" Lily said behind their walled snow fort. "Those Slytherin girls won't let up on me." 

They could hear Azusa, Tara, and Inga baiting Lily.

"I have an idea. Let's make a bunch of snowballs; use the Levitation Charm to keep them in the air; the Tracking Charm to have the snowballs follow them, and the Descent Charm to make them fall on them at once. With the both of us doing it, we can really get them. Hurry!"

"Brilliant!"

They quickly put together one hundred snowballs.

"We have to keep cover, though. We need someone to watch them for us."

"All right. Peek around the corner, Fi, and see if you can't grab someone."

"I see Oliver. I'll go get him!"

"But I don't _want_ to stay behind the fort," Oliver whined, a moment later, as he and Fiona ran behind the fort. "It's more fun out on the battlefield."

"It's only for a short while, Oliver. _Pleeeaaaaase_?" begged Lily.

"Oh, all right! What do you want me to do?" 

"We want you to watch Kernville, Yolke, and Erstwhilst. You know, tell us where they are. We want to dump a load of snowballs on them at once, but without them seeing us."

Oliver grinned mischievously, "That's crackin'. Let's do it!"

Lily and Fiona pointed their wands and said, "_Leviosa_." The snowballs rose into the air.

"Are they together, Oliver?" Fiona said.

"No! Not, yet. Make the snowballs go a little higher so that no one sees them."

"Where are they now?" said Lily.

"I think they're looking for you, Lily. Yes, they are! They're coming this way. Drop them! Drop them, now!"

Suddenly, they heard several girls scream.

Lily and Fiona laughed, ran out from behind the fort, and blew their cover. Severus Snape, Evan Rosier, and Damien Wilkes immediately pelted them with snowballs.

"Eat this!" yelled Lily, and shoved a handful of snow into Rosier's face.

Lily yelped as she felt something wet and cold slide down her back. She turned to see Snape laughing at her. He had sneaked up behind her and quickly dropped a snowball down the inside of her cloak.

"You!" shouted Lily chasing after him.

The snowball fight grew as other students, at the end of their lessons, joined the fray. They played until dinnertime. The cold air and exercise made for hearty appetites that evening.

*******

On a Thursday, a week following the great snowball battle, Lily decided to not show up for History of Magic. On their way to the lesson, Lily pretended she had forgotten her textbook. She entered the common room. It was deserted. Lily reckoned that Remus would return at any time because he was usually gone for three days following the full moon. Lily decided to wait in the corridor leading up to the girls' dormitory so that Remus would not see her. About twenty minutes later, she heard someone walk into the common room. Lily peeked around the wall and spied Remus. Before he could climb the stairs leading to the boys' dormitory, she quickly stepped out into view.

"Hullo."

Startled, Remus turned. Lily observed, expectedly, that he was pale and appeared ill.

"Erm, are you all right, Remus? You don't seem well."

"I'm fine. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in History?"

"Yes, but I decided not to go."

"Really? Why?"

"Binns is so dull. Remus?"

"Yeah?" He looked at her quizzically.

"Would you mind if I ask you question?"

He shrugged, "No."

"I hope you don't get upset, but, er, are you, um, are you a, erm, a werewolf?" Lily held her breath.

Remus appeared frightened. "No. _No_! Why would you ask me a question like that? Werewolves deserve to be killed, you know!"

Lily exclaimed, with tears filling her eyes, "Remus, how could you say that? You don't mean that!"

"Yes, I do!" 

"No, you don't! I'm your _friend_, Remus. I already know! I sorted it out. I haven't told anyone, not even Fiona and she's my best friend. Please, Remus, is it true? You can tell me. I'm your friend!"

Remus, with warring emotions crossing his face, turned and walked toward a corner of the room. Lily followed. He sat down on a stuffed armchair. He whispered, with eyes downcast, "It's true."

"Oh, _Remus_!" Lily said with pity on her face.

She surprised Remus and herself by hugging him tightly. Awkwardly and a bit embarrassed, he returned the embrace.

"You don't hate me, do you?" he whispered.

Pulling away, she punched him lightly on the arm, and said, "Of course not, silly!"

"It doesn't bother you that I'm a werewolf?"

"No."

"Most wizards and witches _hate_ werewolves. I'm lucky to be here. Headmaster Dumbledore let me into Hogwarts, even though he knew that I was a werewolf. I really like the headmaster. He planted the Whomping Willow because of me."

"When did you become a werewolf?"

"One night, when I was five, I was playing on my toy broom near the woods by my home when I heard a noise. I stopped and called out. Then I heard a snarl, and this large wolf ran towards me. I was so scared that I froze. I wet my pants. The wolf leaped. Then it was on me, biting me. I screamed and screamed, and then I passed out. When I came to, I was inside. My mum was crying, and my father looked very sad."

"That is _ so_ _awful_!"

"They took me to many healers, trying to find someone to cure me, but they couldn't find anyone. We had to move when everyone found out that I was a werewolf."

"What is it like when you transform?"

"_Terrible_! It hurts awful! It feels like I'm being turned inside out. When I'm a wolf, I think angry thoughts. I see everything as though I'm looking through red-tinted glass. Mostly, I think of attacking humans."

"Remus, you wouldn't bite me, would you? If you saw me outside?" Lily inquired, tentatively.

"I don't know. Maybe. Yes, I would. I'm dangerous when I'm a wolf. I wouldn't want to bite you because you're nice, but I would anyway. I don't think like a person when I'm a wolf. I would see you, smell you, and then attack like the werewolf who bit me. But, I would kill myself if I found out that I attacked you. You're really nice. I like you, and I wouldn't want to hurt you."

"I'm sorry you're a werewolf," Lily whispered, sadly.

"Promise you won't try to watch me transform. I'm dangerous when I'm a wolf. I could kill you! Don't come near me when I'm a wolf. Promise!"

"I promise! Where do you go when you transform?"

"I go to Madam Pomfrey. She knows I'm a werewolf. All of the professors do but they have sworn to Professor Dumbledore that they won't tell anyone about me. Madam Pomfrey takes me to the corridor underneath the Whomping Willow. There I go to transform. I'm stuck in that corridor. The only place I can go to is an empty house in Hogsmeade, where the corridor leads. It's hard because there is no one for me to bite. I can't get out, and I really want, need, a human. I desperately want to attack a human, so I end up biting myself. I'm so tired, thirsty, and hungry afterwards. That's the reason I look so terrible when I return."

"Poor Remus," Lily murmured.

"You, James, Sirius, and Peter are the only students who know. I'm glad you're one of my friends."

Lily held out her right hand. "Let's shake."

Remus, confused, shook her hand.

Lily then said, "Friends forever."

"Friends forever," Remus repeated, smiling.

"Friends forever, and your secret is forever mine. D'you want to play chess?"

*******

Lily, Fiona, Daisy, Anders, Oliver, and a number of other Gryffindors were sitting in the common room playing games or chatting. It was the night of the Yule Ball. Only fourth years and higher could attend the Ball. Third years and younger could attend it by invitation only. In three days, the Christmas holidays would start. Lily was excited about going home.

"Ooooh, look at _Melissa_!" pointed Oliver.

They glanced up from their game of Exploding Snap to stare at Melissa. She had her rich brown tresses pulled into a bun wound up on the top of her head. Her earlobes were decorated with long, dangling earrings with bells on the ends. When she moved her head, the carol, "Jingle Bells," could be faintly heard. But, that was not what caught Oliver or any of the boys' attention. Her red and gold dress robe had a plunging, albeit _revealing_, neckline.

"_Really_! I'm surprised she's walking around like that, like a scarlet woman!" Fiona hissed, disapprovingly.

All of the boys in the common room gaped at Melissa until she left to meet with whomever she would attend the Ball.

Lily noticed Anders gazing at the door to the common room with his mouth hanging open. She narrowed her eyes and hit him on the forearm with her fist.

"Ow! What did you do that for?" He indignantly exclaimed while rubbing his arm.

"Because!"

"You're just jealous, Lily, because you don't look like Melissa," Oliver foolishly stated.

Lily, Fiona, and Daisy immediately began to pummel him. Anders jumped in to defend Oliver.

"Oy! What is this?" Virgil shouted as he, Craig, and friends pulled them apart.

"They're just jealous because they wouldn't look like Melissa in a dress robe!" Oliver exclaimed with his hair tousled over his head.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" screamed Lily, attracting the attention of everyone in the room.

"Yeah! We don't want to be scarlet women!" Fiona said.

Craig, Virgil, and their friends glanced at one another and laughed.

"Don't worry, billiwig; you and your little girl chums will, er, grow up _someday_."

"Oooh, I hate you, Craig," Fiona yelled, throwing one of the chair pillows at him and missing.

Craig, Virgil, and his friends chuckled as they headed to the door on their way to meet their dates for the Yule Ball.

"Try not to step on Sasha's feet, Craig. You can't dance! Remember?" said Fiona to Craig's back as he stepped outside the door.

He and his friends ignored her.

Oliver and Anders quickly and wisely joined James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus in another corner of the room.

"Jorkins said that Melissa is attending the Yule Ball with that Travers fellow in Slytherin," volunteered Daisy.

Fiona raised her eyebrows. "A Gryffindor with a _Slytherin_? What a traitor!"

*******

Ah, how quickly time passed! Lily and most of the Hogwarts students returned to King's Cross, three days later, to spend Christmas with their families. Lily was overjoyed to see her mother and father waiting for her at platform nine and three-quarters. Petunia did not accompany them. Lily and her parents stayed in London overnight before returning home, to Keswick, on Christmas Eve. Lily was glad to see her older sister despite their miserable parting. Petunia was on speaking terms with Lily, but said very little. Lily felt good to be home. So did Snowball.

On Christmas, Lily received lovely gifts from her parents. The most surprising present was a magical broomstick from Diagon Alley. They bought her a Nimbus 1001, similar to Fiona's. Her father told her that he visited Diagon Alley while at a medical doctors' convention in London. While there, he opened an account at Gringotts in her name. Fiona gave Lily the magical version of the game of chess and a warm, green sweater that perfectly matched her eyes. She received a book entitled, Witches of 18th Century England from Petunia. Lily thanked and hugged Petunia for the present. Afterwards, Petunia sulked. Lily had given Petunia a beautiful doll to add to her collection.

During the remainder of the vacation, Lily regularly corresponded with Fiona via Capricorn. Fiona thanked Lily for the earrings and the fashionable sweatshirt she gave her for Christmas. Also, Lily spent time practicing transfiguration, to the delight of her father. Her mother was not exactly thrilled when her nice teacups were turned into mice. Her father tried unsuccessfully, on numerous occasions, to perform magic with Lily's wand. Eventually, he gave up and just watched as Lily, for his entertainment, transfigure various household items into rabbits, beetles, feathers, birds, puppies, and once, accidentally, an elephant. Her mother told her to give it a rest after the elephant incident. 

In no time at all, it seemed, Lily was back at Hogwarts, back in the schooldays routine.

**---------**

_**Note:** Yes, in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, the Yule Ball was held in conjunction with the Triwizard Tournament. However, I could not find in Book 4 where it stated that Yule Balls were only held when there was a Triwizard Tournament._


	9. Promise

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter IX: _Promise_**

A showery, cool Saturday in early March found Lily lost deeply in a fantasy of Professor Konrad. So involved in her daydream, she failed to notice where her feet were taking her. A burst of harsh laughter filtered into her fantasy, and startled her. She looked around and realised that she was in unfamiliar territory. Lily had blindly walked into a part of Hogwarts she did not know existed. The corridor was dim and dank. The floor was made of uneven stone. Lily observed moss growing on the brick walls, and the sound of dripping water somewhere ahead. She heard another burst of harsh laughter, followed by the sound of male voices. Lily proceeded in the direction from which the voices were coming. They seemed to be ahead of her, and very near. She kept walking, softly, and discovered a worn, heavy, oak door opened to a sliver. She peeked in and gasped. Dolohov, the Head Boy, was pointing his wand at a tiny, orange striped kitten. The kitten was biting its tongue to shreds and hopping on one foot. Inexpressible pain could be seen in the kitten's eyes. Tears began to fill Lily's own eyes.

"Come, make it do a somersault, Dolohov," said a dark-haired teen, of about fifteen years of age, kneeling near the kitten.

The kitten, with blood flowing from its mouth, turned a somersault.

The boys laughed. Lily recognised the blonde teen from King's Cross. Another boy, stocky and plain-faced, was leaning against one of the walls. He appeared as though he were bored.

"Make it go faster, Antonin," said the blonde teen.

"Ah, he can do better than that, Lucius," drawled the stocky, plain-faced boy leaning against the wall. "Say, why don't you make it bite its tail off and then eat it, eh?"

Horror struck, Lily screamed, "NO," and foolishly ran into the room.

Before she could reach the kitten, she was grabbed cruelly by the hair and yanked backwards into someone.

"No, you don't, you filthy little Mudblood," snarled the person holding onto her hair. He continued to pull on her hair tightly, forcing her head back. Lily winced with pain.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" said Dolohov in a soft, threatening voice. "What's your name, witch?"

Lily remained silent. The boy holding onto her hair gave a sudden hard yank. Eyes tightly closed, Lily hissed with pain.

"I would answer him, if I were you, Mudblood," the boy holding her threatened.

"Lucius, you don't say. A Mudblood, eh?" Dolohov softly said, gazing at Lily intently while walking stealthily toward her.

"Mudblood, I, as Hogwarts Head Boy, command you to answer my question. Now, tell me, what is your name?"

"Lily. Lily Evans," she whispered in pain.

"Ah, so it is. Miss Lily Mudblood Evans seems to have a problem with me playing with this kitten, Gents. Hmmm."

"Perhaps she would prefer that you play with her," drawled the teen leaning against the wall.

They chuckled menacingly at this suggestion.

"Now, now, that will not do, Lestrange," smirked Dolohov with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

'The nosy little Mudblood deserves it, Antonin."

"Yes, she does, Lucius, but," trailed off Dolohov.

"Why not make her eat the animal alive, eh?" proposed a new voice.

"Ah, welcome, Travers! Please do come in."

The boy came into view. He was tall and thin with a narrow, weasel-like face. His eyes were of a chillingly cold, faded blue.

"Why don't we put it to a vote, Antonin?" suggested Travers.

"Excellent idea! Lucius, what shall we do with this nosy little Mudblood? You know, to keep her from meddling in our affairs?"

"Let's see how loudly we can make her scream. No one will hear her in this part of the corridor. It has already been proven."

"Yes, it has. Macnair?"

The boy kneeling by the kitten grinned wickedly and said, "I propose that we force her to disrobe herself."

"Now, now, Walden, we aren't interested in little Mudbloods without a stitch on. Balfour?"

"Hmmm, I still suggest that we play with her, Antonin. You know, how we have been playing so fondly with the animal, eh?" drawled Lestrange.

They laughed malevolently at this idea.

"Randall?"

"I stick with my original proposal," replied Travers.

"Hmmm, all such wonderful ideas. How do I decide? Hmmm." Frowning in thought, Dolohov began to pace around the small room.

"Oy! I have made my decision. Let's see how loudly this little Mudblood can scream. Lucius, you have the honours." He then mockingly bowed.

Lestrange, Travers, and Macnair clapped.

Lucius immediately complied by yanking so hard on the handful of hair he had a grip on that Lily could actually feel strands being ripped from her scalp. A hiss escaped her and tears began to stream from her tightly closed eyes. She refused to scream for their satisfaction.

The kitten lay helpless on the litter-strewn floor, and was bleeding, shaking, and breathing rapidly. Its eyes were partially open and staring vacantly.

"You _are_ going to scream, you little Mudblood. I'll see to that," Lucius sneered in her ear.

He then yanked her head so far backwards by the hair that she heard a popping sound in her neck. She began to choke. More strands of hair were ripped loose from her scalp. Lily bit her tongue in an effort to prevent herself from crying out. Blood, salty and bitter, filled her mouth.

"Oh? So we're going to play tough, are we?" Lucius whispered ominously in her ear.

Without warning, he let go of her hair, grabbed her before she fell, and then roughly shoved her to the ground. Lily landed painfully, stifling a scream, and narrowly missed falling onto the kitten that appeared half conscious.

Lucius loomed over Lily, and stared down at her murderously. He pulled out his wand, pointed it at her, and said,

"_Crucio_!"

Lily's entire body, from head to toe, was suddenly assaulted with an overwhelmingly intense burning sensation and a feeling as though someone were stabbing her unmercifully with small, very sharp knives. The pain was incredible, and Lily, feeling lost and terrified, began to scream helplessly in agony.

The pain suddenly stopped. They stood around her clapping and cheering.

"Excellent, Lucius," said Travers.

"Hear, hear!" exclaimed Lestrange.

Lily was curled up on the ground trembling uncontrollably.

Dolohov knelt next to Lily, and gently stroked her hair. He softly said, "Lily, pretty little Mudblood, it is time for you to make a decision. Shall we play with you or the animal?"

"I think the Mudblood wants her mummy," Macnair snickered, coldly.

"We're waiting, Mudblood."

She would not respond.

"Lucius?"

Her body was once again tortured with a searing, unimaginable pain. She shrieked as high as her lungs would allow, but the excruciating pain would not end. Lily screamed until she felt something give way in her throat. Dimly she heard a voice say, "Stop, Malfoy! You're going to kill her!" Lily passed out.

When she came to, a very short time later, she hazily saw a face leaning over her. Lily tried to focus on it. She blinked and saw Dolohov looming over her. Breathing shallowly, she moaned. He stroked her hair again.

"Lily, love," he whispered. "You must decide: you or the animal? Come, we are waiting for your answer."

Ashamed and hating herself, in a low hoarse voice, she replied, "The, the, ki-kit-ten."

"Come again, Mudblood?"

"The kit-kitten"

"Ah, very good. Wise choice, indeed. Macnair, the animal is yours."

Macnair, without warning, crushed the kitten's skull with a heavy booted foot.

Lily screamed hoarsely with hands covering both ears, and eyes shut tight. She continued to scream with little of her voice that remained. A hand cruelly covered her mouth and she was roughly lifted high off the floor. She opened her eyes and found Dolohov holding her by one hand against the wall. He appeared deranged.

"Listen carefully, Mudblood. First, you are going to close that hole of yours. NOW."

Lily stopped screaming and began to helplessly whimper in the back of her throat.

"Now then, I don't want any more noise from you unless I ask for it. Understand?"

Lily nodded her head. He gently placed her back on the ground. She stood, for a moment swaying unsteadily, sobbing with her hands pressed to her mouth.

"Lily, pretty Mudblood, before we let you go, you are going to have to make a promise. You shall promise that you will not blab about any of this. Understand? This is our secret: Malfoy's, Traver's, Lestrange's, Macnair's, yours, and my secret. You see, Lily, if you tell anyone, we will have to hunt you down, and, well, let's say that you will likely end up like that kitten you so bravely tried to save. The Dark Lord will help us. You don't want to end up like that poor, little kitten. Do you, love?"

Lily shook her head.

"Now promise that you will keep this as our little secret. _Promise_, Lily."

"I, I, pr-promise."

"Good, you can go now. Run along. Shoo." 

They all laughed as she ran from the room.

Panting, with tears streaming down her face, Lily blindly ran through the corridors. Soon, she found herself in familiar territory and slowed slightly. She spotted a girls' toilet, barged in, stumbled into a stall, shut the door, fell on her knees, and vomited. Shaking, she sat back with knees pulled to her chest and her arms around them. She cried miserably while rocking back and forth. After awhile, her sobs subsiding, she heard a voice calling.

"Who's there? Who is in my toilet?"

Lily became quieter so that she could not be heard. Suddenly, a ghost, in the form of a plump girl wearing glasses, glided into her stall. Lily jumped.

"Who, who are you?"

"I'm Myrtle. This is my toilet. Why are you crying? You aren't dead. Although, you do look quite awful," Myrtle said, smugly.

"Nothing, nothing really. I shall go now." Lily rose and proceeded to exit the stall.

"Wait! Aren't you going to flush?"

"Oh. Yes." Lily flushed the toilet.

She went to a sink and splashed cold water on her face with shaking hands.

"Well?" Myrtle said.

"Well, what?" replied Lily puzzled.

"Aren't you going to ask how I died?"

"Erm, no."

Translucent tears welled up in the ghost girl's eyes.

"Fine! Go on ahead and vomit in my toilet! Oh, she doesn't mind. She's dead! No one cares that I'm dead! No one asks why. Vomit in dead Myrtle's toilet because she, she, ca-can't, sm-smell," wailed Myrtle, disappearing down into one of the sink's drains.

Astonished, Lily hesitated briefly and then prepared to leave. She opened the door cautiously and peered around to make sure Dolohov and his gang of Slytherins were not nearby. Concluding that the coast was clear, she briskly walked through the corridors. Finally, she reached the very familiar portrait of the Fat Lady, and said, "Philosopher's Stone."

She ran upstairs, into the first year girls' room, and curled up on her bed. Snowball leapt onto the bed and snuggled against her.

*******

"Lily! Lily, where have you been?"

Lily realised that she had fallen asleep. She opened her eyes and saw Fiona, Ivy, Daisy, and Samantha gazing down at her with concerned expressions on their faces.

"Lily, you missed dinner! Are you all right?" Fiona said worriedly while sitting on Lily's bed.

"She looks dreadfully pale," observed Samantha.

"Perhaps you ought to see Madam Pomfrey, Lily," suggested Daisy.

"No, no, I'm all right," replied Lily weakly, while sitting up.

"Are you sure? Your voice is hoarse!" Fiona, still worried, peered closely at her. "You don't look well, not at all."

"Why, Lily! There is _blood_ in your hair!" exclaimed Ivy.

"Ohhh, Lily," the girls moaned in unison, worried and crowding close.

"Lily, what happened? How did you get blood in your hair? There seems to be an awful lot!" said Fiona anxiously. "Perhaps you ought to see Madam Pomfrey. We'll go with you."

"No, no, really, I'm all right." Lily touched her very sore scalp and winced. "It'll wash off."

"But, Lily, how did it happen? Where were you? You were to meet us at the library. Remember? We waited _forever_ and you didn't show up! Please tell us, is everything all right?" Ivy pressed.

Samantha gasped. "Oh dear, a patch of her hair is missing!"

Fiona, Samantha, Ivy, and Daisy leaned closer for a better look.

"Lily, we're your friends. Please _do_ tell us what happened. How did your hair come out? Why is your hair bloody?" Fiona was on the verge of tears. "Did someone hurt you?"

"No, no, it's okay, really! I wasn't watching where I was going and I fell down one of the stairs. My hair got stuck on a sharp object sticking out between one of the banister's supports as I fell. And some of my hair was yanked out. I must have been knocked out when I hit the floor. I don't remember coming here. Really."

Fiona narrowed her eyes, and said doubtfully, "Are you sure, Lily?"

"Yes. I'm fine really. Just a bit tired. That's all."

"If you're hungry, we can sneak into the kitchens and get some food for you," offered Samantha.

"Erm, okay. Thanks."

"All right, we'll be back. Come with me." Samantha beckoned Daisy and Ivy.

When they left the room, Fiona peered closely at Lily with an expression of deep concern. "Lily? Are you sure you're fine? I'm your best friend. You would tell me the truth, would you?"

"Yes, Fiona. Everything is fine," Lily replied, feeling terrible lying to her best friend.

Fiona suddenly hugged her, and murmured, "You're my best friend, Lily."

Lily, trying not to burst into tears and feeling miserable for being false to Fiona, returned her embrace.

Fiona then pulled away and asked if she would like to play chess.

"Erm, okay. Why don't I shower first? I feel icky."

"All right."

Lily took a rather lengthy shower, and winced as she worked the shampoo into her hair. Her scalp felt swollen. She ached all over as though someone used her for a punching bag, and her throat felt raw. Lily tried to block out the memory of the kitten.

About thirty minutes later, she returned to the room. Samantha, Ivy, and Daisy brought back pumpkin juice, meat pies, and her favourite treacle tarts. She ate ravenously.

"Really, you look much better now, Lily," remarked Samantha.

"Let's play chess!" shouted Fiona.

They played for a few hours, but Lily's heart was not in it. She kept trying to block the kitten from her mind, but the images insisted on intruding. As a result, she lost often and spectacularly. Towards the end, she gave up and silently watched the others play.

Later that night, she woke everyone in the room screaming and thrashing in the midst of a terrible nightmare of a kitten crying like a baby, eyes pleading for her help. In the dream, she told the kitten, "I'm sorry," over and over, and in the end there was frightening green light and cold laughter.

"Lily! Lily! Wake up!" Fiona said in a hushed voice while shaking her roughly.

Jolted awake, Lily quickly sat up, gasping and shaking, with tears streaming down her face. She covered her face with her hands, and quietly murmured, "I'm fine. Really, I'm fine."

Fiona, Samantha, Daisy, and Ivy looked at one another worried and scared in the glow of Samantha's wand. Finally, Fiona sat on Lily's bed and pulled her close. The other three girls sat down while watching Lily with pity.

"Lily?" Fiona said, quietly. "Would you like for me to sleep with you?"

Lily nodded her head.

*******

On Sunday, Lily did not see Dolohov, Malfoy, Travers, Lestrange, or Macnair at all. During meals in the Great Hall, she made an extreme and successful effort to avoid looking in the direction of Slytherin's table.

*******

At breakfast, on Monday, an owl landed in front of her with a letter in its beak. She removed it, and exclaimed, "It must be from Mum and Dad!"

She unfolded it and read,

> > > _Dear Lily, Hogwarts pretty little Mudblood,_
>>> 
>>> _Remember your promise._

Lily, with heart sinking, quickly refolded the letter and placed it into her pocket. She had lost her appetite.

"What did your mum and dad say?" Fiona said with mouth full of bacon.

"Er, nothing really. What d'you think Professor Sandolini is going to show us today?"

**---------**

_**Note:** I'm not evil! I love cats; I have one of my own. I needed something to identify with, so I used the kitten._


	10. Celestial

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter X: _Celestial_**

Early May dawned beautiful and mild on Hogwarts, with soft breezes and a floral fragrance perfuming the grounds and seeping into the corridors like a nearly forgotten memory. The floral perfume was uncommonly strong thanks due to the elephantine flowers that were growing profusely outside the gamekeeper, Hagrid's, hut.

Lily's grades faltered due to her traumatic experience in an old, bleak, and disused corridor below the castle. Fortunately, the nightmares were becoming less frequent. She had no further interaction with Dolohov or his gang. During the past week, her every possible moment was spent in the common room or the library poring over books in an effort to improve her grades.

*******

"I want each of you to find a partner on which to practice the Sleeping Charm. Are you paying attention, Mr. Potter?" Professor Flitwick inquired while walking over to James' desk. James appeared to be in the act of hastily trying to hide a comic book.

Professor Flitwick seized the book and smiled. "Ah! '_Zap, the Martian Wizard_.' Quite good really. I read it myself. But not in class, and neither should you, Potter.

"Come! Pair up now. This may be on the exam. The Sleeping Charm, I meant, not '_Zap, the Martian Wizard_,'" he added when a few students snickered.

"So. I'll try it on you, first, Lily."

"Erm, okay."

Fiona pointed her wand at Lily. "_Sopio_."

"Er, I'm wide awake, Fi."

"Drat! Let me try it again_. Sopio_!"

"Fi, you aren't waving your wand properly."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

"Then show me."

"Okay, it's like this." Lily demonstrated to Fiona how she should wave her wand. "Wave it in a small, loose, but close circle. All right?"

"All right. I'll try it again." Fiona waved her wand in a circle, and then shouted, "_Sopio_!"

"Fi, I'm still awake!"

"Then, you do it!"

Lily took a deep breath. She gently waved her wand in a loose, but tight circular motion while pointing it at Fiona, and then said, "_Sopio_."

Fiona promptly fell asleep. Lily smiled.

"Excellent, Miss Evans!" Professor Flitwick beamed at Lily, and then quickly frowned. "Oh dear. Arbuckle! You were to practice the _Sleeping_, not the Sneezing, Charm!"

Lily looked at Fiona, and pointed her wand at her. "_Exsuscito_."

"Mmmf, why did you wake me up? I was playing Quidditch," yawned Fiona.

Smiling, Lily replied, "You have to learn this charm, silly."

"All right. Show me how to do it, again."

After the fifth attempt, Fiona was able to successfully put Lily asleep. Many of the students were still having a difficult time with the charm. About fifteen minutes later, Professor Flitwick walked over to where Fiona and Lily were seated. He asked Lily if she would like to help the other students. Lily gladly accepted. Professor Flitwick was her favourite professor, although she still had a crush on Professor Konrad. By the end of the lesson, Lily realised that she enjoyed helping others learn.

At the end class, Lily asked Fiona to wait for her outside while she spoke with Professor Flitwick. Fiona presumed that it pertained to Lily's grades. Fiona, Daisy, Ivy, and Samantha noticed that Lily had not been performing well since the day she claimed she fell down the stairs. Fiona did not believe Lily told the truth about what happened but she did not want to press the matter. She and the other girls also observed that Lily had been quieter and less playful since the so-called stair incident.

After everyone left the room, Lily approached Professor Flitwick's desk as he was tidying it.

"Professor Flitwick?"

"Yes, what can I do for you?" he said, kindly.

"Erm, I was wondering if you knew what a 'Mudblood' is."

He gasped and gazed at her intently. "Where did you hear that slur?"

"Er, I overhead some boys say it while in the corridor between lessons one day."

"It is an ugly word, Lily. I am just _shocked_ that any student would utter it in this school. It is a derogatory term for a witch or wizard of Muggle parentage. It should not be used in this school. I shall report this to the headmaster. Did you recognise any of the boys?"

"Er, no, sir."

Professor Flitwick sighed. "All right. I still must report this to the headmaster. Odd activities have been going on in school lately. By the way, how have you been doing? Everything all right? Your grades, although still good, have taken a bit of a tumble."

"Yes, I'm fine. I've been studying really hard lately. To bring up my grades."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. You are one of my best first year students. I would hate to see you perform poorly. I see much potential in you."

"Thank you." Lily beamed while feeling self-conscious. "I must go now. Fiona is waiting outside for me."

*******

About a week later, the Gryffindors were gearing up for their last Quidditch match of the year. Excitement was running high. They would face the Hufflepuffs, who had an excellent Beater on their team. If Gryffindor won, they would receive the Quidditch Cup for the second consecutive year. They would also be in the running for the House Cup. The night before the game, most of the Gryffindors were found sitting in the common room noisily discussing the upcoming match.

"We have to take out Bagman!" shouted Craig.

"Aye!" a dozen students screamed.

"Take him out of the game, Stone and Draper!" yelled Virgil.

"No! Dewdroppe must catch the Snitch before they score, and before that bloody Bagman has a chance to do any damage!" another Gryffindor shouted.

"Oh, I wish I were on the team," Fiona moaned to Lily.

"Don't worry, Fi. Perhaps you will make the team in our second year."

The spirited talk of the upcoming Quidditch match raged on until Brandt Lyon, a prefect, yelled at them to go to bed.

*******

Saturday, the day of the much talked about Quidditch match, dawned bright and unseasonably warm. By the time Lily, Fiona, and the other Gryffindors made it up to the stands and found seats, they were sweating profusely.

"I hope Kristin catches the Snitch early. It's dreadfully warm out here," Samantha remarked, listlessly.

A short time later, the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team, in bright yellow, walked out onto the pitch to many boos and hisses from the Gryffindors. The Gryffindors roared when their team, dressed in scarlet, strolled out onto the pitch. Lily, Fiona, Daisy, Oliver, and Anders raised the large banner they created for the occasion. It showed Kristin Dewdroppe diving for the Golden Snitch, and Stone and Draper pelting Bludgers at Bagman, and knocking him off his broom. It was animated, with figures moving across the banner. At the top of it, in flashing neon intensity, alternating red and gold, were the words, "Bagman can't find his way out of a Paper Bag! Kristin is Lightning Fast and on the Go!"

In the first fifteen minutes of the game, much to the Gryffindors' dismay, the Hufflepuffs scored thirty points, thanks to Ludo Bagman, their unbeatable Beater.

"The Wimbourne Wasps are interested in picking him up," groaned Fiona as one of the Gryffindor Chasers missed the goal, thanks to Bagman.

"I'm glad this is his last year at Hogwarts," Anders commented.

The game began to turn in Gryffindor's favour when the team started blitzing the unsuspecting Hufflepuffs. Soon the score was 70 to 50, in favour of Gryffindor. There was no sign of the Golden Snitch. The tension mounted. The score was up to 100 to 90, in favour of the Hufflepuffs. Still no sign of the Snitch. Crack! Draper sent a Bludger to the Hufflepuff Chaser, Chatzin, knocking her off her broom and breaking her nose. An angry uproar immediately ensued from the Hufflepuffs, in the stands and on the pitch. The Hufflepuff captain called for a time out. Madam Pomfrey ran out onto the pitch and healed Chatzin's broken nose. The match resumed.

Gryffindors were on top: the score was 150 to 120. The Hufflepuff Seeker spotted the Golden Snitch! The Gryffindors in the stands collectively groaned. Kristin raced the Hufflepuff Seeker for the Golden Snitch. They both dived for it as it plunged toward the ground. Suddenly, a Quaffle was thrown in front of them. Intense concentration was broken, and the Snitch disappeared. The score continued to climb, now 230 to 220, in favour of the Hufflepuffs. Then, a tie at 280!

There was the Golden Snitch, hovering and shimmering just above the Gryffindor's goal hoops! Kristin raced for the Golden Snitch, neck and neck with the Hufflepuff Seeker. It was going to be close! Kristin leapt nearly off her broom reaching for the Golden Snitch. She grabbed it, fell from her broom, and plummeted toward the ground! In unison, the crowd rose in the stands. Silence. Then miraculously, Kristin's descent began to slow. She landed gently on the ground, standing on both feet, grinning and screaming, "I have it! I have it!" The final score was 430 to 280. Yelling wildly, the Gryffindors stormed the pitch.

*******

Eventually, the euphoria of winning the Quidditch Cup for two years running died down. The Gryffindors redirected their attention to preparing for the end of year exams, which were rapidly approaching.

"Lily!"

Lily heard a boy calling her name as they made their way to the castle after Flying Lessons. She turned and saw Severus Snape running toward her. He caught up with her and Fiona.

"Er, I was wondering if you could, erm, help me with Astronomy being that you are so good at it. Please?"

Lily briefly appraised him. "All right. How about Saturday, after lunch? We can meet in the library."

"Erm, all right. Thanks!" He ran ahead to catch up with his friends Evan Rosier, Damien Wilkes, and Pertinax Avery.

"Urgh! Why would you want to spend any time with _him_?"

"What do you mean, Fi? He's not that bad. Besides, he _is_ a bit stupid when it comes to Astronomy."

"There is something about him. He's creepy. I overheard Anthony Zephyr and Taliesen Iverson telling James and Sirius how much Snape knows about the Dark Arts. The Ravenclaws have Dark Arts with the Slytherins. Zephyr said that he knows more than most seventh years! Iverson said that he always knows the answers in Dark Arts lessons."

"I don't know, Fi," frowned Lily. "He doesn't seem horrid to me. Really, he's like most of the first year boys around here."

"I still think you should watch your back. I mean, why _would_ he know so much about the Dark Arts anyway?"

On their way to the common room, Professor Konrad halted them.

"Miss Evans, may I have a brief word with you in my office?"

Lily blushed, and mumbled, "Yes, sir."

"McKinnon, you can continue on to wherever you were going," he added as Fiona started to follow.

They entered his office, and he closed the door.

"So. How are things with you, Miss Evans?"

"Fine, sir," Lily replied, looking at her feet.

"I noticed your grades have suffered a bit during the past month or so, but they have been picking up in the past two weeks, I might add. Can you explain why your work suffered in the first place?"

Lily shrugged.

"Professor Dumbledore called a staff meeting about a week ago. The headmaster said he received a report from Professor Flitwick that a student overheard a couple of boys using the term, 'Mudblood.' Do you know anything about this?"

For reasons she were not consciously aware of, Lily told him that she did not.

Peering closely at her, he said in a lowered voice, "Are you telling the truth?"

Lily, with eyes averted, nodded her head.

"All right, Miss Evans. Personally, just between the two of us, I believe that the headmaster is making far too much out of matters inconsequential. Calling someone a 'Mudblood' is trivial. If you do hear or see anything _unusual_, Miss Evans, I would strongly recommend that you wisely keep it to yourself. Understand?"

Lily, not really comprehending, replied, "Yes, sir."

"Good. You may leave now."

*******

Saturday afternoon, Lily and Severus Snape were in the library poring over books dealing with the stellar system. Snape was having a difficult time understanding the constellations. Lily was having an equally difficult time trying to explain them to him. Finally, in frustration, she asked him to meet her outside the Astronomy Tower at 9 o'clock.

"We can't Lily. It's against the rules. We'll be sure to be caught."

"Not if anyone doesn't see us! Just be careful on your way there."

"I don't know."

"You don't want to fail Astronomy, d'you?"

"No."

"All right then. I'll meet you at the Astronomy Tower at nine. Don't be late!" She then grabbed her things, said goodbye, and left.

*******

At 9 p.m., Lily and Severus were standing outside the Astronomy Tower.

"Let's go in, shall we?"

With a brief hesitation, Severus followed Lily inside.

"Come on, Severus. Let's climb to the top, onto the roof."

He stopped. "No, Lily, we can't. What if we're caught?"

"Oh, no one is going to catch us, silly. You're a worrywart, you are. Now, _come on_."

They climbed the steep, spiralling stairs, opened the door, and stepped out onto the roof.

"Now, you will be able to see the stars, and I can explain them properly." Lily proceeded to lie down.

"What?! What are _doing_?"

"Come, lay beside me. How are you going to see the sky properly, silly?"

"Oh, all right." He awkwardly plopped down next to her.

"Isn't it beautiful? 'The splendour of the heavens is spread out before us,' as my dad would say. He's a doctor, but he enjoys watching the nighttime sky. It's his hobby. He taught me much about the stars. We would sit in our yard, at night, watching the sky. He even has a telescope. Do you ever sit out at night and watch the stars?"

"No."

"Oh dear, you're missing much. The meteor showers are absolutely fabulous! Erm, it's no wonder you aren't doing well in Astronomy. You ought to look at the night sky more. It's quite beautiful."

"Not looking at the bloody sky every night is not the reason I'm not doing well! It's Professor Sinistra. She has it in for me."

"Erm, okay," Lily responded, dubiously. "Let me explain the celestial sky.

"It appears that we're looking at the whole sky, but we aren't. We're only looking at a piece of it. Hogwarts is somewhere in the north. I reckon we're somewhere between fifty-two and sixty degrees north latitude. The constellations we see change from month to month. However, some stars we see all the time like Polaris in the constellation, Ursa Minor. If we lived on the equator, we would see the entire celestial sky.

"Erm, which sign are you?"

"Scorpio."

"I'm Cancer. My dad told me a silly story to remember the zodiac. Would you like to hear it?"

"Yes."

> > _"In April, Aries the Ram ran across Taurus the Bull whose girlfriend was named May. They trotted along and discovered twins whose surname was Gemini. They told Aries and Taurus that they were born in May. Taurus asked Gemini if they would like to accompany them on a quest. They agreed. Eventually, in July, they arrived on a beach, and discovered Cancer the Crab. Cancer asked if he could join their party. Gemini replied, 'Yes, as long as you keep your claws to yourself.'_
>> 
>> _"In early August, they came across a regal Lion named Leo. Leo inquired, 'Perchance, what brings you to my kingdom?'_
>> 
>> _"'We are on a quest,' Cancer replied. 'Would you like to join us? We need someone strong and fearless such as yourself, as long as you promise not to eat any of us.'_
>> 
>> _"The small, but growing, party headed east. They soon encountered a pretty lass combing her tresses near a brook._
>> 
>> _"'What is your name?' asked Gemini._
>> 
>> _"'I am Virgo the Virgin,' she answered, 'Although, I wish that my name was September!'_
>> 
>> _"'Would you like to join our party?' offered Leo._
>> 
>> _"'Yes, as long as none of you ask me for a date!'_
>> 
>> _"They continued on._
>> 
>> _"One beautiful day in early October, they found a balance or scale in the middle of the path they were travelling on._
>> 
>> _"'Let's pick it up,' suggested Virgo._
>> 
>> _"There was writing encrypted on the side. It read, 'Libra.' They continued travelling east._
>> 
>> _"'Crickey! There is a scorpion ahead, so watch it!' warned Taurus._
>> 
>> _"'Why are you here?' asked the scorpion, irritated and quite suspicious._
>> 
>> _"'Why, we are on a quest. Would you like to join our group, as long as you don't sting any of us?'_
>> 
>> _"'All right,' replied the scorpion. 'By the way, I am Scorpio. Today, October 24th, is my birthday.'_
>> 
>> _"'Happy Birthday, Scorpio!' the growing group shouted, and began to walk on._
>> 
>> _"In early December, they saw an archer, aiming his bow at a fat pheasant._
>> 
>> _"'Pheasant meat sounds tasty right about now,' said Leo. 'Oy, you there, may we have some of your pheasant?'_
>> 
>> _"The archer looked at the group, and said, 'All right, but only one tiny morsel per, erm, person. By the way, I'm Sagittarius. Where are you heading? May, I join?'_
>> 
>> _"'East, and, yes, you may!' they shouted._
>> 
>> _"On December 22nd, they watched a sea goat being born. 'How beautiful!' Virgo exclaimed, 'Let's call it "Capricorn."'_
>> 
>> _"They continued following the path east, and began to tire of their journey. They happened upon a water bearer in a glade. 'Come join us,' they shouted._
>> 
>> _"'All right,' said the water bearer. 'By the way, I am Aquarius of the February House.'_
>> 
>> _"In early March, they decided to give their quest a rest, but not before meeting Pisces the Fish, whom Sagittarius was willing to eat.'_

"The end."

"Er, you were right. It _is_ a silly story, but not too hard to remember. You may have to tell it to me again, before the exams."

"All right. D'you know which constellations we are looking at now?"

"No."

"Pretend that each star is a dot, and connect them. When you connect the dots, what do they look like?"

"Some squiggly lines."

"Oh, Severus, you are quite silly, you know? Use your imagination! Try again."

"Er, all right. Erm, that cluster over there, it looks like a triangle."

"Good! That's Triangulum. To the south of it is Aries, to the north of it, Andromeda, and just to the north of Andromeda, the Queen, Cassiopeia. Can you remember that? Look for the triangle, and you'll find, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, and Perseus. Perseus is to the west of the triangle. See, over there! Can you see it?"

"Yes! I think I have it!"

"Good!" Lily, relieved, sat up. "We can use our globes now to look for the other stars and chart them. Once you find one, you can find the others."

Severus grinned at her while standing up. "Thanks, Lily! Would you like some Drooble's Best Blowing Gum?"

"All right."

He gave her one, which she promptly popped it into her mouth and started to chew.

"It's good," she said in a muffled voice.

She blew a huge bubble, and, much to her surprise, began to float off the roof.

"Lily!" Severus shouted in alarm, and reached out to grab one of her hands.

He pulled her back to the roof's surface. While still holding onto his hand, she removed the gum from her mouth.

"Th-that was a big mi-mistake," giggled Lily. "Why, it's like a helium balloon!"

She let the bubble go, and they watched it drift off into the night.

"Cool gum. I wish I had some more, to take back home with me."

"Here, have mine! You can have the rest of the package. I can get some more."

"Thanks!" Lily glanced at her watch under the glow of her wand. "Oh dear, we ought to return to our houses now."

*******

Finally, exam week arrived. The students performed as well as they could. After the last exam, in Potions, the first year Gryffindors hurried to their rooms to drop off their bags. They just as hurriedly left the castle to enjoy freedom in the warm, June sunshine.

Lily, Fiona, Oliver, and Anders joined Catherine Indigo and Tamara Green of Ravenclaw under a birch tree by the lake.

"Great! You have a pitcher of pumpkin juice and several goblets. May we have some?" Oliver inquired, hopefully.

"Aye," Catherine responded. "Tamara and I decided to grab extra goblets in case anyone else wanted to join us. It's chilled."

They sat under the tree chatting amicably and sipping pumpkin juice.

"It's really warm. I would love to go for a swim," Lily said wistfully while gazing out at the lake.

"You can't swim in the lake, Lily. The giant squid would be sure to grab you," said Catherine.

"Not today, it wouldn't."

"Really? How do you know?" said Oliver.

"I found out in Hogwarts, A History. It's only awake on the odd days of the month. Today is the 6th. If we went into the lake, it wouldn't bother us at all."

"_So_, we could jump in now. Can't we?" Oliver had a devilish grin on his face.

"Yes, _so_, what are we waiting for?"

Lily and Oliver began removing their robes, socks, and shoes. The others soon followed suit. They ran to the edge of the lake but then abruptly stopped.

"What if the water is freezing cold?" said Tamara.

"There's only one way to find out," asserted Fiona. She rolled up her trouser legs, and then ran into the water.

"How is it, Fi?"

"Great! Come in!"

They all ran into the water, and noisily splashed one another. In a matter of minutes, they were thoroughly soaked.

"This is so much fun," squealed Lily as Oliver splashed water over her head.

"All of you are going to be in a load of trouble."

They stopped frolicking for a moment to see Snape, Rosier, Avery, and Wilkes standing near the edge of the water watching them.

"Why don't you three join us?" suggested Anders.

"No," replied Snape.

"Oh, come on. Don't ruin the party," yelled Oliver.

Lily grinned mischievously, and without warning splashed Snape, Rosier, Avery, and Wilkes. The others quickly joined in.

"Let's get them!" Rosier shouted while pulling off his robe.

Snape, Rosier, Avery, and Wilkes ran into the water. Snape grabbed Lily and pushed her under. Before he could escape, she grabbed his ankle and tripped him. He fell headlong into the water. Soon the battle lines were drawn, with the boys against the girls. The battle raged on with a great deal of screaming and splashing.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? HAVE YOU ALL GONE MAD?"

Startled, they looked up and saw Professor McGonagall grimly gazing down at them.

"OUT OF THE WATER. NOW!"

Reluctantly, they dragged themselves from the lake.

"What, pray tell me, possessed you to engage in such outrageous behaviour?"

No one looked at her.

"Er, it was hot, Professor. We thought it would be fun. The squid is asleep today. We didn't think it would be wrong," Lily said, quietly.

"You are correct about the squid, Miss Evans. However, frolicking in the lake fully clothed and without permission is unacceptable behaviour. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"I will not remove any points from your houses. You ought to be thankful for that. I would suggest, however, that before you return indoors you are completely dry; else, Filch will have your hides. I don't want to catch any of you in the lake again. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Professor."

"All right. Dry yourselves off." She then strode rapidly toward the castle.

"McGonagall is such a poop!" whispered Fiona.

A little later, as they were walking back to the castle, Fiona told Lily, "It's a good thing Snape had a dunking in the lake today."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's probably the first time in weeks his hair had a washing."

Just then, Snape turned and gave Fiona an extremely nasty look. Fiona did not notice because her attention was elsewhere.

"Fi, he heard you!" Lily said in a hushed voice.

"So?"

"Didn't you tell me he knows much about the Dark Arts?"

"Yes. So?"

"Fi!" Lily said, exasperated. "Aren't you worried he'll put a hex on you?"

"No."

*******

At dinner, the day before the last day of the term, Headmaster Dumbledore announced that the Gryffindors won the House Cup for the fifth year running. The Gryffindors expressed their joy with much yelling, hooting, and banging of goblets on the table.

All of the first years passed their exams. Lily received high scores in her favourite subjects: Charms, Transfiguration, and Astronomy. Thanks to Lily's help, Snape received a decent mark in Astronomy.

Before they knew it, they were back on the Hogwarts Express, heading home. Lily was thrilled, and was anxiously looking forward to being with her family. She, Fiona, Daisy, and Catherine Indigo shared a compartment on the train ride to platform nine and three-quarters. Once they arrived at King's Cross, they vowed to maintain contact with one another during the summer holidays. At the station, Lily introduced her friends to her parents. The following day, Lily and her parents departed London for Keswick.

**---------**

_**Note:** This story contains a total of twenty-six chapters. The next part, Intermedio (composed of nine chapters), will be posted in a few weeks._

_-Auror5, 19 May 2001_


	11. Part II: Intermedio

_**A/N**: For those, like Sofie, who are asking, "Why, Evans?" J.K. Rowling stated in an interview that Lily's surname was Evans. Click [here][1]._

_**GELD**: Okay. ^_~_

_**Hugs and kisses** to all those who read this story. You also get a **long stemmed, red rose** if you provide a review. All three automatically go to my original fans of Lily: The Hogwarts Years. ^_^_

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Part II: Intermedio**

**Chapter XI: _Of Domestics and Dungbombs_**

Lily was glad to be home even though her relationship with Petunia had not improved. Lily was disappointed and sad that Petunia, after nearly ten months of Lily's absence, still behaved as though she disliked her. To add to her hurt, friends she had known nearly her entire life shunned her. It saddened her to see that her former best friend, Lauren, had become close to Petunia. On each occasion Lily's former friends visited Petunia at the Evans' home, they ignored her. A week ago, Lily accompanied Petunia, Lauren, Betty, and several other girls Lily once considered friends to an ice skating rink. They did not want to include Lily but reluctantly agreed to allow her to come along after Zinnia insisted. At the rink, they treated her as an outcast. Needless to say, Lily was miserable with them. Afterwards, she decided to continue her education at Hogwarts despite what happened to her earlier in the year_. At least I have friends at Hogwarts_, she thought. Her only consolation, during the first several weeks at home, was the letters she received from her Hogwarts' friends.

*******

Dread filled her as she walked through the corridor but she could not stop and turn back, although she desperately wished to do so. Lily continued on while listening to the mind-numbing sound of dripping water. She reached out and touched the wall. Quickly, she pulled her hand back when it encountered something wet. Lily glanced at the wall and observed blood oozing from it. Gagging, she wiped her hand on her shirt and ran. A heavy, oak door materialized in front of her. She tried to turn back but large hands seized her. She screamed, and was lifted onto an altar. Large, monstrous faces towered over her. Suddenly, Lily felt intense pain. She shrieked.

A voice seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere thundered, "You or the animal?"

An orange, striped kitten appeared on the altar. She stood next to the raised structure and solemnly gazed down at the tiny feline. Tall, hooded figures in black cloaks were on either side of her, and surrounding the altar. The kitten cried pitifully. Its eyes pleaded for her help.

"The animal," Lily answered, grimly.

She reached into her cloak, withdrew a sharp dagger, and plunged it into the kitten.

"No! I take it back! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Lily wailed.

She was bound, supine, to the altar by her wrists and ankles. A pale face loomed over her in the gloom. Lily began to scream for the face had horrible, red eyes. The pale face with red eyes laughed. Its mirth chilled her bones.

Then it boomed, "_You_ are the kitten."

A giant, booted foot appeared above her and slowly descended toward her face. There was high, cold laugher. She screamed and screamed. Then there was terrible, green light and the sound of the wind.

"Lily! Lily! Wake up, honey!"

Lily was jarred awake. She shook and gasped, with tears on her face and heart thudding painfully.

"Mum? Mum?"

"Shh, sweetums. It's all right. It was just a bad dream. Shh," Zinnia embraced her tight.

Her shaking slowly subsided.

"I'm so sorry," Lily whispered.

"What, sweetheart? What are you sorry about?"

Lily did not respond for she had fallen back to sleep.

*******

The morning of the 6th of July dawned bright. Sunlight streaming into the kitchen and the sound of noisy bird chatter pointed to another pleasant, mild day in Keswick.

Lily entered the kitchen half-dressed and yawning.

"Happy Birthday!" her parents greeted.

Lily grinned. "Thanks!"

"Come, sit. Have some toast for a start." Zinnia smiled warmly at her.

Lily sat down across from Petunia, and Snowball immediately leapt onto her lap. Her father leaned over and noisily kissed her on the cheek. Lily giggled and returned Wesley's affection.

"What would you like for breakfast, honey? It's your day today. I'll cook whatever you want."

"Erm, I would like some sausage. Thanks, Mum."

"Is that it? Would you like some porridge, also?"

"Erm, all right."

"Mother, I really don't like sausage. Could I have bacon, instead?"

Lily rolled her eyes. Shortly after Petunia became a teenager, she resorted to formally addressing her parents.

"Tunia, I thought you _loved_ sausage." Zinnia looked at Petunia with a baffled expression on her face.

"Not anymore."

"Well, all right," Zinnia responded, sceptically. "I'll fry some bacon for you."

Petunia gazed at Lily with an expression of gloating. Lily had decided that she would not allow Petunia to ruin her birthday; therefore, she ignored her.

"Wes, what would you like?"

"I'll have sausages, Zin. Thanks."

While Zinnia cooked, Lily munched on a piece of toast with plum jam and petted Snowball. Her father read the morning paper, and Petunia leafed through a magazine.

"A mystery, indeed," Wesley remarked while frowning at the newspaper before him.

"What's that, Wes?"

"There is an article in the paper about a London family that vanished a week ago. They found their bodies early yesterday in a wooded area outside the city. All of them were dead but there were no wounds on the bodies. None of the officials can figure it out. The examiner plans to check for exotic poisons."

"Why, that's terrible! The entire family was murdered, and they don't know how? That's peculiar."

"Aye, it is. If they were murdered, you would expect to see some trauma on the bodies but they found nothing. No bruises, lacerations, shot wounds. Nothing. In fact, this report says that the family appeared to be in perfect health. The only problem is that they are all dead."

"Oh dear. Does the article mention any children?"

"Yes. Sadly, there were two: a boy, age thirteen, and a girl, age nine."

"Wes, that is awful! Who would want to do such a thing? Murder children?"

"It's an evil thing. I do hope they solve this mystery." Wesley continued reading for a while longer. He then glanced up from the paper.

"Lily, what time are your friends arriving?" he inquired.

"Fiona said that her dad will drop them off at 3 o'clock."

"All right."

Lily invited Fiona, Samantha, Daisy, Ivy, Catherine, and Tamara over to celebrate her birthday. She was having an overnight party. Fiona explained, in a letter, that the girls would meet at her house from where they would travel, by Portkey, to a location in Keswick. Once they arrived in Keswick, they would drive to Lily's house in an auto so as to not attract any Muggle attention. Lily had no idea what Fiona meant by a Portkey but she planned to ask when she arrived.

"Mother, Father, may I stay over Lauren's house?"

"Petunia, today is your sister's birthday. You will remain here."

"But, Father, it will be just _her_ friends here. I don't know any of them. Whom will I socialize with?"

"You can socialize with Lily's friends, Petunia. They seem like nice girls. I met them at King's Cross."

"But, Father, I would rather be with my sort of friends."

Annoyed, Wesley put down the paper.

"Petunia, you will remain here. If you want to invite one of your friends over, it is fine by me, but only one. All right?"

Petunia ignored him. "Mother, may I go over to Lauren's?"

"Petunia! What did your father just tell you?"

Petunia mumbled under her breath.

Wesley glowered at her. "Petunia Anne Evans, I will _not_ tolerate you disrespecting me _or_ your mother. Is that clear?"

There was silence from Petunia.

"I SAID, IS THAT CLEAR?"

"Yes, _Father_," Petunia muttered. She then gave Lily a rotten look.

Zinnia returned to the table and handed a bowl of porridge to both Lily and Petunia.

"Lily, dear, do you remember waking up last night screaming?" Zinnia said.

"Erm, not really." Lily shifted uneasily in her chair.

"Do you remember what the dream was about? You kept saying that you were sorry. What were you sorry about?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know."

The phone rang and startled them all.

*******

That afternoon, Lily's friends from Hogwarts arrived at the Evans' home. Lily reintroduced them to her family and gave them a tour of the house. All of the girls were fascinated with Muggle living. Daisy was surprised that they were able to keep their home clean without the aid of a house-elf. Since the Evanses had no idea what a house-elf was, Daisy, with help from the other girls, described and explained the role of a house-elf. At the end of her spiel, Zinnia expressed her desire for one. They also explained to Lily and her parents the concept of travelling by Portkey, which Wesley found immensely intriguing. Wesley then asked the girls to demonstrate some of the magic they had learned in school. The girls very soon discovered that he was the perfect audience, but, unfortunately, he bombarded them with questions. To rescue her friends from Wesley's seemingly ceaseless queries, Lily gave him a piece of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. Lily and the girls were entertained by the sight of Wesley floating up to the ceiling after blowing a huge bubble.

While Zinnia prepared dinner, Lily's friends asked many questions about the mechanics of Muggle cooking. Samantha concluded that cooking Muggle fashion was too much work and offered to assist Zinnia with preparing the meal. Zinnia accepted, mainly in the hope that it would reduce the girls' chatter. The rest of the girls also helped. Much to Zinnia's delight, with the help of magic, dinner was prepared in less than half the time it would have taken, considering the number of mouths she had to feed.

Lily received nice birthday presents such as clothing, games, and candy from her parents and friends. Petunia gave her a toothbrush, and Lauren presented her with a fountain pen. Wesley and Zinnia were very disappointed with Petunia's idea of a gift, but they tried not to display it.

During the entire two days Lily's friends were visiting the Evans' home, Petunia socialized little with Lily or her friends. Petunia and Lauren spent most of their time upstairs, in Petunia's bedroom. Tears stung Lily's eyes when Lauren barely acknowledged her. Despite Lily and her friends' cheerfulness toward Petunia and Lauren, their attitude toward them was cold, bordering on hostile. Eventually, they gave up on Petunia and Lauren after their amicable overtures were repeatedly snubbed.

*******

In early August, Lily and her parents met the McKinnons in Diagon Alley. Both families shopped together while there, and discovered that they enjoyed each other's company. Liam and Kendra McKinnon made arrangements to keep in touch with Wesley and Zinnia.

August came to a close, and the return to Hogwarts was imminent. Lily and her parents met the McKinnons at their home in Windermere. They were fascinated and intrigued with how the McKinnons used magic in their daily lives. Lily and her mother were delighted with the McKinnon's house-elf, Blinky. They travelled, from the McKinnon's, to an abandoned building in London via Portkey. Lily and her parents found travelling by Portkey quite thrilling. Her father found it even more so, and embarrassed Zinnia by repeatedly and jubilantly discussing the experience with the entire group. Fiona, grinning fondly at Wesley, told him that he was "much fun."

On platform nine and three-quarters, the Evanses and McKinnons paid farewell to their children. On the Hogwarts Express, Lily shared a compartment with Fiona, Daisy, and Ivy.

*******

Lily, Fiona, Daisy, and Ivy were sighing over pictures of the wizard band, _Merlin_, in Daisy's _Rockin' Magik_ magazine, when James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus burst into their compartment. All four were smirking and wearing expressions full of mischief.

"Er, this compartment is taken," declared Fiona.

"Oy, it's too crowded in here! Go back to your own compartment!" Fiona shouted when the boys began to sit down, forcing the girls to crowd toward the window.

"We're all chums, aren't we? Like one big happy family, we are, eh?" James stated with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

"Indeed, we are. How do you, Miss McKinnon, Miss Evans, Miss Craven, and Miss Wittleston?" inquired Sirius.

Fiona narrowed her eyes. "Remus, please _do_ tell us what you four are up to."

Remus looked at the other boys, and they all snickered.

Fiona leapt up. "OUT!"

"No! No! We can't!" said Peter.

"Why NOT?" Fiona retorted.

"Er, well, you see. There is a slight problem," replied James. "For my mates and I have placed dungbombs in select compartments full of Slytherins." He glanced at his watch. "We have them timed, you see. They should go off in about, erm, ten seconds."

"You didn't!" Lily said, incredulously.

"We did," replied Sirius smugly.

Suddenly, they heard a series of booming sounds coming from the back of the train. James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus doubled up with laughter.

"Just what kind of dungbombs _were_ those?" Ivy's face was full of amazement.

"Yes, they sounded awfully _large_!" remarked Daisy.

"Master James and I decided to, er, liven them up a bit." Sirius leaned back in his seat with an expression full of satisfaction.

About five minutes later, a conductor entered the compartment. His face was livid with anger.

"Do any of you happen to know who exploded the dungbombs on my train?"

They shook their heads.

The conductor left the compartment muttering about "little cretins" and "bloody messes."

Shortly after the conductor exited, a bespectacled teen wearing a Head Boy badge walked in.

"Good evening. I am Morgan von Stencil, this year's Head Boy." He displayed his badge to each of them by removing it and placing it directly under their noses. "I am conducting an investigation. Do any of you know who exploded the dungbombs?"

"No."

Von Stencil sighed. "No one seems to know. Obviously, a student on this train planted and exploded them."

He heaved another sigh. They stared at him.

"If you must know, several of your fellow students are covered with a brown, sticky goop, which we are having an extremely difficult time removing. You can only imagine how awful they smell. Snoflache and I had to quarantine them into two of the damaged compartments. We placed an anti-olfactory charm outside the compartments so that nearby students will not have to smell them during the rest of the trip."

Von Stencil sighed again. "Oh well, I shall leave now."

They heard him mumbling about an engorgement charm being used on dungbombs. Then they looked at one another and giggled.

"Just who were the Slytherins you dungbombed?" Lily inquired.

James responded, "Oh dear, most of them we don't even know but I can tell you the ones we _do_ know."

"Snape, Avery, Rosier, Erstwhilst, and Kernville," Peter solemnly stated.

They laughed.

Shortly afterwards, James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus exited.

"I'm glad they bombed Kernville and Erstwhilst. Those horrid girls deserved it!" Lily exclaimed.

"Aye, good thing for Snape, too. Now he has a chance to wash his hair before the term begins," added Fiona.

*******

In the Great Hall, after the sorting and welcoming address, Dumbledore made a few announcements.

"First, to the student responsible for exploding dungbombs in three compartments full of fellow students on the Hogwarts Express: I assure you that you _will_ be punished if discovered. I would be much mistaken if I were to think that you would _not_ find it highly amusing to bathe your fellow students in a brown, sticky, and dreadful smelling material."

He cleared his throat.

"Moving on: this year's Head Boy and Head Girl are Morgan von Stencil of Ravenclaw and Melissa Snoflache of Gryffindor, whom you have probably met on the train."

Everyone clapped politely.

Then he went on to announce the Prefects.

The students clapped and cheered. Lily applauded half-heartedly, for Malfoy's name had been mentioned. She avoided looking in the direction of the Slytherins.

"Ah! I see that the students who met misfortune on the Hogwarts Express have returned to us. Good. Thank you, Professor Flitwick and Professor Chloride, for restoring them to their original state."

The students watched as about a dozen Slytherins, the ones who were dungbombed, made their way to the table. All appeared very angry. Some of the students snickered as they passed.

"I want to remind everyone that the Forbidden Forest and the Whomping Willow are forbidden to all students. Ignore my warning and we may never see you again or, in the case of the Whomping Willow, we will see you in the hospital wing."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and solemnly gazed out at the students.

"Unfortunately, I have disconcerting news to share before we partake of the feast. One of our students, who would be in her sixth year this term, disappeared under suspicious circumstances during the summer holidays."

Whispering filled the Great Hall.

"The missing student is Kristin Dewdroppe."

Lily gasped, and stared at Fiona with a stricken expression on her face.

"As most of you know, Miss Dewdroppe is the Seeker for Gryffindor's Quidditch team. Let us pray Miss Dewdroppe is found soon. I am asking each of you keep Kristin in your thoughts."

He stared out at the sea of students for a moment, and seemed to peer into each face.

"Draco! Equinox! Orange!"

Dumbledore sat down. The students turned to see platters of food before them.

**---------**

_**Note: **In Book 1, Petunia stated that Lily performed magic during the holidays (turning teacups into mice). So, I figured that perhaps the students were allowed to do magic outside of school at some point. Perhaps it didn't matter if Muggles, like Lily's parents, who were already familiar with magic witnessed sorcery. Then again, Petunia could have been lying about the whole thing...._

   [1]: http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/author/transcript2.htm



	12. Kristin Dewdroppe

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XII: _Kristin Dewdroppe_**

At breakfast, on the first day of school, Samantha announced that on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, they had Defence Against the Dark Arts with the Hufflepuffs, Potions, and Transfiguration. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they had Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins, Herbology with the Ravenclaws, and History of Magic. On Wednesdays, they had Astronomy with the Slytherins, and on Fridays, Flying Lessons. Their first lesson of the day was Potions with Professor Chloride.

Professor Chloride greeted them with her distinct hyena laugh. Lily observed that she still wore the dead, angry appearing chipmunk around her neck.

"In today's lesson, my cherished little monkeys, you will brew a marvellous potion that will allow you to grow tenacious warts upon your lovely, unmarked skin."

Lily thought, _Who would want warts?_

Professor Chloride burst into a fit of hyena-like laughter. The students gazed at her as though she were mad.

"Come, my little monkeys. Remove the items from your precious, and let's get started! This delicious potion is called Verruca. When your potion is ready, you will take a sip and then watch those lovely warts erupt upon your soft, beautiful, and youthful skin."

They stared at her with horror.

"What if we don't _want_ warts?" shouted Sirius.

She ignored him, clapped her hands, and laughed hyena fashion. "Come, my little monkeys. Start brewing! Turn to page fifty-seven of your textbook."

Fortunately, they had Transfiguration after Potions. Professor McGonagall, with many comments about the mental state of certain professors, removed their warts.

On Tuesday, in Care of Magical Creatures lesson, Professor Sandolini announced that it was her last year as an exchange professor at Hogwarts. The students groaned with disappointment, for they had all grown very fond of her, especially Remus. At the end of the lesson, she allowed each student to ride Pegasus, the winged horse.

The days drifted by with the students settling into their routine. They still had not heard of Kristin Dewdroppe's whereabouts. Therefore, the Gryffindors were forced to select another Seeker in her absence. After trials, and much to her delight, Fiona became their new Seeker. James joined the team as a Chaser.

*******

On the night of the third of October, Lily was sprawled across the bed reading Honey, I Disapparated the Kids!, by an American wizard, when Melissa Snoflache, Head Girl, barged into the room.

"Hurry! Come to the common room, now!"

"What? What's going on, Melissa? We aren't properly dressed," Samantha exclaimed.

"There is no time. Just come as you are. Professor McGonagall is waiting!"

Alarmed, they grabbed their bathrobes and rushed downstairs. They noticed that the common room was very crowded as every Gryffindor was present, with most in bathrobes or pyjamas. Several appeared as though they had just awakened. Lily glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it showed nearly full moon (close to midnight). Lily thought to herself that she was glad it was Friday night.

Professor McGonagall stood on a table and requested their attention. Lily was surprised to see Professor McGonagall in the common room. It was the first time Lily had ever seen her in it. Lily also observed that Professor McGonagall appeared as though she had been crying. A stab of fear pierced her heart.

After everyone quieted down, Professor McGonagall grimly stated, "Kristin has been found."

Everyone started speaking at once.

"Professor, is Kristin all right?" inquired Melissa in a concerned voice.

She hesitated before answering. "All of your questions will be answered shortly. Professor Dumbledore wants us to meet in the Great Hall. So, please follow me."

They followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall while whispering amongst themselves. Once there, they noticed other students filtering in. Lily observed that all of the professors, some in bathrobes, were present. They all wore grim or sombre expressions on their faces. A black drape had been placed behind the High Table. Lily's heart sped up and tears began to fill her eyes.

She whispered to Fiona, "Oh dear. Fi, she's dead. Dewdroppe is dead. See the black curtain?"

Fiona glanced at the top of the hall and her indigo eyes widened. She then stared at Lily with dismay.

Once the students were seated, Headmaster Dumbledore stood. He gravely gazed out at them.

"As you are already aware, Miss Dewdroppe has been found." He cleared his throat.

The Great Hall was silent. All eyes were on the headmaster.

"It saddens me profoundly to inform you that Kristin Dewdroppe is gone from us."

Many students gasped and gazed at one another with sorrowful or stricken expressions on their faces. The Gryffindors became anguished upon hearing the news, with many of the girls, including Lily and Fiona, and some of the boys starting to weep.

"We have reached a dark time," Dumbledore proclaimed.

"Some of you may have heard rumours, some of you may have heard your parents speaking in hushed voices about a Dark Lord. The Dark Lord you have heard of is Lord Voldemort."

Some of the older students cried out and covered their ears upon hearing the name. One seventh year girl at the Hufflepuff table fainted but was quickly revived by Madam Pomfrey.

Dumbledore waited for a moment, and then resumed.

"Lord Voldemort was responsible for robbing Kristin of her life. He has taken the lives of many these past two years. Each year, he becomes bolder and commits more murders. Most of his murders have been those of Muggles. You may say to yourselves, 'Why should I care? I am not a Muggle.' I will tell you why you should care."

There was a fire in his eyes and he appeared to grow taller.

"Kristin Dewdroppe is why you should care. She was not a Muggle. Kristin Dewdroppe was pureblood, as some would call it. Each of you must understand that it is wrong to take a life. Every life counts!"

Captured by Headmaster Dumbledore's blazing eyes and the passion in his voice, the students were held spellbound.

"Each of you must understand evil. For when evil finds an excuse to destroy one human life, evil will not stop there. For you see, evil loves to destroy. It becomes an excuse for more killing: first Muggles, then wizards and witches born of Muggles, and then pureblood wizards and witches. Evil loves to destroy for the sake of destroying. Everything becomes an excuse for another killing."

He paused, and then softly said, "None of us are safe."

Louder, "None of us are safe. Lord Voldemort is evil. He is forever looking for more supporters, wizards and witches with darkness and weakness inside their hearts.

"You may be called to serve him. I am beseeching you to follow what is right, not what is easy. Follow the good, the light. Don't follow Voldemort. He is death, a path to Hell. All of us who believe in good and the light are fighting darkness and evil. If you choose to become a supporter of Voldemort, know this: you will become an enemy of mine. I will seek the ends of all earth to fight and destroy evil!"

His eyes ablaze, he seemed to search within their souls.

"Kristin Dewdroppe. Remember a beautiful, vivacious life that was touched and destroyed by evil. Remember the Gryffindor Seeker who was swift and played so well. Remember the bright girl who made friends easily. Remember the girl with the infectious laugh. Remember the girl full of fun and vitality. Remember the girl full of promise. Remember the girl full of life!"

Many of the students wept, some loudly. Sobbing, Lily and Fiona held onto one another.

"Please stand," Dumbledore quietly instructed.

They rose, with some coughing and sniffing in tears.

"Remember Kristin Dewdroppe. A beautiful life, a girl loved, cherished, and then taken away from us too soon. Bow your heads, and take a moment of silence to remember Kristin."

After a few minutes, Dumbledore quietly said, "In memory of Kristin, lessons for the first three days of the upcoming week are cancelled. You may leave now."

They mournfully exited the hall.

Drifting off to sleep, it dawned on Lily that Dolohov mentioned the Dark Lord when he forced her into promising her silence in the affair of the kitten. It occurred to her that they, Dolohov, Travers, Lestrange, Malfoy, and Macnair, followed Lord Voldemort. "They are evil," she whispered fearfully to no one. It took a long while for her to fall into a dreamless sleep.

*******

The next morning, at breakfast, in a subdued atmosphere, the owls swooped in to deliver the mail. Jorkins shouted for all to hear, "There is an article on Dewdroppe in this morning's _Daily Prophet_!"

Suddenly, there was a frantic scramble to get near the students who received the _Daily Prophet_. At the Gryffindor table, at least half the students had the paper. Virgil was one of them. Lily, Fiona, and Craig gathered around Virgil to read the article.

> > _Missing Hogwarts Student Found Dead_
>> 
>> _By Rita Skeeter, Intern on Special Assignment_
>> 
>> _The partially decomposed body of Kristin Dewdroppe, a very beautiful girl and the envy of all the young witches at Hogwarts, was found last night in a forested area outside Carlisle. Ministry of Magic officials were able to locate her body based on an anonymous tip. According to Doctor Hippocratic, a ghastly dressed wizard with a prominent Adam's apple, Dewdroppe appeared to have been dead for at least a month. I asked Doctor Hippocratic what was the cause of death. He stated, "The Killing Curse." Upon further questioning, it was learned that a curious mark was found at the base of Miss Dewdroppe's throat. I requested that Hippocratic describe the mark. He described it as that of a large serpent, perhaps a Basilisk, coiled around a unicorn. "She was branded," he grimly stated, his abnormally large Adam's apple quivering slightly. Doctor Hippocratic became secretive when pressed for more details, and refused to speak with me further._
>> 
>> _I spoke with Miss Dewdroppe's parents about the last time they saw their extraordinarily beautiful daughter alive. "She was on her new Nimbus practicing flight manoeuvres," her part-Veela mother stated with tears rolling down her exotic face. "I glanced out the kitchen window, and waved at her. She grinned and waved back. The next time I looked out, she was gone. Her broom was lying on the grass."_
>> 
>> _Mrs. Dewdroppe then broke down, wailing and begging for her daughter's life to be returned. Mr. Dewdroppe, a rugged appearing man with crooked teeth, asked me, with voice trembling, why someone would want to harm his cherished daughter. Why? That is what all of us want to know._
>> 
>> _The Ministry of Magic was keeping strangely close on the subject. I asked officials if there was a connection between Miss Dewdroppe's murder and recent ones, and they became suspiciously silent. Then I asked if anyone knew the meaning behind the mark branded on Miss Dewdroppe's neck. Travis Mealdingle, who looks remarkably like a buzzard, of the Law Enforcement department told me that that information was classified. Classified? I posed this question to Mealdingle, "Were the recent killings the act of He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named?" Buzzard Mealdingle refused to answer my question. My conclusion, based on Mealdingle's evasive manner, was that You-Know-Who is behind these deaths. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named murdered Kristin Dewdroppe._
>> 
>> _Kristin turned sixteen on the 17th of August, the day after she disappeared._

Accompanying the article was a colour photo of a beautiful girl with shoulder-length, light blonde hair, cornflower blue eyes, and a cleft chin. She was holding a racing broom across one of her shoulders and waving. A winning, impish grin was on her face.


	13. Enchanted Glass

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XIII: _Enchanted Glass_**

The mournful atmosphere hanging over Hogwarts was slow to dissipate, with Kristin's death remaining in the back of nearly every student's mind. The Gryffindors acted out their grief on the Quidditch pitch. Wearing black armbands on their scarlet robes, they dedicated their first game, in November, to Kristin Dewdroppe. Their first match was against Slytherin, whom they flattened. The final score was 150 to zero. Fiona caught the Golden Snitch within seven minutes of the game and established a new school record for the shortest game ever recorded.

There were more scuffles than normal, mainly between the Slytherins, who still smarted over their embarrassing Quidditch performance, and the Gryffindors. Many Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws sided with the Gryffindors, with some students referring to the Slytherins as "Minions of the Dark Lord." There were numerous skirmishes between lessons with the Slytherins. Madam Pomfrey complained to Professor Dumbledore about the hospital wing being crowded with students suffering from various curses and hexes. On several different occasions, Lily found herself trying to prevent Fiona and Snape from casting curses at one another. Fiona had developed a very active and irrational dislike for Snape and made it a point to make unflattering remarks about his appearance.

One day, Lily was unsuccessful in her attempt to stop Fiona and Snape from casting spells at each other. Fiona placed the Bush Curse on Snape, which resulted in Snape ending up with very bushy hair that stood sixty centimetres from his head in all directions. At the same time as Fiona threw her curse, Snape cast a hex that left Fiona unable to speak. Everyone guffawed as Snape, with his bushy, electrified appearance, made his way to the hospital wing. Lily tried, with much difficulty, not to laugh at Snape. She gripped Fiona tightly to prevent her from kicking Snape in the bum, which Fiona desperately attempted to accomplish. Fiona stayed in the hospital wing for two days to resize her vocal cords. It turned out that Snape shrank them to a microscopic size. The Slytherins lost one hundred points and Snape had to clean bedpans in the hospital wing. The Gryffindors lost fifty points for Fiona's use of magic in the corridors.

In December, before the start of Christmas vacation, a number of students were having a snowball fight when they suddenly spotted a giant snowman, two stories tall with flashing red eyes and a ghastly grin, peeking around one of the castle walls at them. The snowman then lumbered toward the terrified students. Panic immediately ensued, with many students running and screaming that You-Know-Who was after them. Some of the girls fainted with fright or lapsed into hysterics. A few boys simply became frozen in place, with mouths open in a silent scream, and urinated in their trousers without realising it. Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Konrad ran outside the castle when they heard the students shrieking and wailing in terror. They immediately destroyed the giant snowman. Shortly after, Hagrid discovered James and Sirius hiding between some hedges, rolling around in the snow, and laughing their heads off. Needless to say, Professor McGonagall was furious. First, she screamed at them for ten minutes, and then she dragged them painfully by their ears to the headmaster's office.

Lily, still shaking from her initial fright, burst into hysterical laughter after discovering that the giant snowman was an elaborate joke by James and Sirius. Fiona, face pale, became alarmed when Lily was still laughing wildly fifteen minutes later. She then marched Lily to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey gave Lily a draught of some restful, lavender coloured liquid to calm her down. The next morning, the Gryffindors learned that they had lost two hundred points because of James and Sirius, and they were quite angry. Sirius and James were also forced to clean all of the toilets on the first two floors of the castle, without magic, as punishment.

In early March, the Gryffindors submarined the Hufflepuffs. The final score was two hundred and ten to zero. Fierce determination was seen on the Gryffindor players' faces at the start of the Quidditch game, which they dedicated to Dewdroppe. Again, they wore black armbands on their scarlet robes. Ravenclaw would play the Gryffindors in early May. The Ravenclaws were nervous about the impending game. "I just hope we score _at least_ ten points," Anthony Zephyr was overhead saying to Robert Johnson.

Lily was performing well in each of her lessons, especially Charms, Transfiguration, Astronomy, and Care of Magical Creatures, her favourite subjects. Seeing that Lily had a talent for healing, Professor Sandolini allowed her to assist with curing a wounded baby unicorn.

*******

Sighing and rubbing her eyes, Lily ended her study of Healing Charms for the night. She picked up her belongings, stuffed them into her bag, and exited the library for the Gryffindor common room. She briskly, but quietly, walked through the corridors. At one point, she heard footfalls behind her and glanced back. Fear quickly permeated her, for it was Malfoy several paces behind her. Lily continued to walk swiftly while not looking back. She wished that she had her wand with her. Unfortunately, she left it, along with her robe, on top of her trunk. She spied a girls' toilet and entered. Once inside, she leaned against the wall and caught her breath. After a few minutes, Lily relaxed, and was about to the leave the room when the door opened. It was Lucius Malfoy. Her heart leapt into her throat, and before she could do anything, he grabbed her. He then lifted her up, flipped her upside down, and strolled into one of the stalls.

Suspending her over a toilet, he sneered, "This is where Mudblood filth belongs." He began to lower her, head first, into the toilet.

Lily reached out and grabbed onto the toilet seat with both hands.

"Gerroff me, Malfoy," she said in a tight voice.

Just then, a group of girls entered the room. Malfoy quickly turned her right side up, placed her onto the ground, and put both of his hands tightly over her mouth while shoving her against him. Lily silently struggled to remove his hands.

"Jorkins said that she overheard Pierson telling Eugenia that he loved her."

"No! He didn't!" gasped a girl.

"He did so, according to Jorkins."

"Why, isn't he going out with Violet? I saw him holding hands with _her_ one day!"

"Oh dear, Pierson is two-timing Eugenia _and_ Violet! A week ago, I saw Pierson kissing Michelle!"

"NO!"

"I did!"

"Really! What an arse! Perhaps we should tell Eugenia. She's dead gone on him, you know."

"Aye, perhaps we should. Come, let's go."

They heard the girls exiting the toilet. Malfoy let go of her mouth, quickly grabbed her hair, and pulled it.

"Listen carefully, Mudblood. I have your hair wrapped tightly around my fist. One peep from you, I will yank every strand out, and take your scalp along with them."

He pushed her ahead of him while gripping her hair tightly. Lily could hardly move her head without feeling as though all of her hair would be yanked out at once. They left the girls' toilet. He swiftly marched her down several corridors. They met no one. After a time, she found herself in a downward sloping corridor. It seemed vaguely familiar to her. They proceeded downward, a bit steeply, and soon the floor began to level out. She realised with dread that it was the corridor she found herself in a little over a year ago. Terror filled her as she noticed the familiar moss covered brick wall and uneven stone floor. Soon the heavy, oak door appeared in the gloom. Malfoy pushed it open, and shoved her in while letting go of her hair. Lily turned and faced Malfoy in the gloom.

Malfoy pulled out his wand, pointed it at her, and said, "_Imperio_."

Before the curse completely left his mouth, Lily dived for the bone-strewn floor. The curse whooshed over her head and sent her hair flying. Lily immediately leapt up and made a run for the door. Nearly there, Malfoy stuck out his foot. She tripped over it, screamed, and fell to the floor. Lily rolled over onto her back as he knelt over her. She fought him with fists and nails. Malfoy punched her in the face, and warm blood spurted from her nose. Lily continued to swing out at him with her fists. Hovering over her, he placed both hands around her throat and began to squeeze. Lily struggled, trying to tear his fingers from her neck. Choking and in desperation, she lifted both knees and with all her strength kicked out and connected squarely with his groin. The fingers around her throat immediately let go. Gasping painfully for air, Lily pushed herself backward while blood poured from her nose. Malfoy was doubled-up on the floor writhing and moaning in agony. Lily stood, and backed up toward the door. She fumbled for the knob, opened the door, and ran out.

She ran through the corridors uncaring about potentially being caught by Filch. Occasionally, Lily glanced back to see whether Malfoy was pursuing her. After what seemed like an eternity, Lily reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"You look terrible, my dear," commented the Fat Lady.

Ignoring her, Lily panted, "Pa-Pa-Patronus."

"That's right."

The portrait swung open, and she stumbled inside while furtively glancing around to ensure that no one observed her. She ran upstairs, into the second year girls' room, and noticed that it was empty, except for Snowball. He meowed at her. Ignoring him, she picked up her wand and rushed into the girls' bathroom, which was empty. Lily looked into the mirror and saw a spectacular bruise swelling on the left side of her face, bruises on her neck, and blood streaming from her nose. The entire front of her shirt was stained with blood. For a moment, she stood there staring at herself and cried.

Pulling herself together, Lily pointed her wand at her face and said, "_Evanesco_." Nothing happened. She repeated the charm. Still nothing happened. She took a deep breath. Mustering every bit of concentration, Lily repeated, "_Evanesco_." The bruise vanished from her face. She did the same for her neck. Lily mopped the blood from her face with paper towels. Her nose continued to bleed, but not as profusely as before. She pinched her nostrils between her fingers for a moment. Placing a wad of tissue into each nostril, Lily pointed her wand at her shirt and nasally said, "_Disaparecer_." The blood vanished from her shirt.

Lily stepped into a stall, sat on a toilet while holding tissue to her nose, and waited for the bleeding to stop. About twenty minutes later, the bleeding ceased. Eventually, she walked downstairs into the common room and spotted Fiona, Ivy, Oliver, and Remus playing Exploding Snap.

"May I join?"

"Sure! Where have you been? I thought you were in the library, but Remus went to check, and you weren't there," stated Fiona.

"Oh. I was probably on my way here."

"You look pale," observed Remus. "Are you ill?"

"No. I'm fine."

Later that night, she awakened the girls with the old nightmare. This time, the kitten turned into a baby before it was killed. In the dream, Lily sobbed, over and over, "I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry." Like the previous nightmares, it ended with cold laughter and terrible green light. When Lily awoke in the morning, she vowed to herself that she would never venture outside the Gryffindor common room alone as long as Malfoy and Macnair were in Hogwarts.

*******

"Miss Evans."

Lily stopped and turned when she heard Professor Konrad calling her. Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson had ended, and she and the rest of the students were heading for the door.

"Sir?"

"I want to speak with you for a moment, in private." He stared coldly at Fiona. "McKinnon, leave. You _do_ know what private means, eh?"

Fiona, with face red, walked toward the door.

"And close the door behind you, McKinnon."

She slammed the door shut.

"Little bitch."

Lily blanched upon hearing Professor Konrad speaking in such a manner, and about a student who happened to be her best friend.

"Now then, Miss Evans. We must have a talk, shall we? You can come a little closer, can't you?"

Lily hesitated, and then moved to the edge of his desk. She felt very uncomfortable with Professor Konrad watching her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"It has come to my attention that you like to tease the older boys."

"What?" Lily was completely taken aback.

"Is it true, Miss Evans, that you met Malfoy in an unused room below the castle last week?"

"No! That isn't true!"

"Really? That isn't what I heard from Malfoy, Miss Evans. Are you telling me that Malfoy is a liar?"

"But, sir, that isn't what happened."

"I don't believe you, Miss Evans." He gazed at her coldly, and then sneered, "I know your type."

Lily was very confused. "Professor, I don't understand."

"All right, Miss Lily _Tease_ Evans. I will get to the point. Lucius Malfoy is eighteen years old, a Prefect, and your superior. You do what he tells you to do. Is that clear?"

Flabbergasted, Lily stared at him.

"Is that clear, Miss Evans?"

"But, sir...."

"IS THAT CLEAR, MISS EVANS?"

"Yes." Tears of anger stung her eyes.

"I do _not_ want to hear of you striking Malfoy or any student in my house _ever _again. _Is that clear, Miss Evans_?"

"Yes, Professor," she responded curtly while holding back tears.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor and detention for you, Miss Evans, for your blatant disobedience and disrespect for your superiors. You will be informed of the date of your detention later. You may leave now."

Lily walked stiffly out the door, and marched up the corridors. Fiona tagged along behind, and tried to keep up.

"Lily? Lily? What happened?"

"I hate him, Fi! I _hate_ him!" Tears of fury rolled down her face.

"What did he do?" Fiona gazed at Lily with a shocked and baffled expression on her face.

"The wretched git subtracted fifty points from Gryffindor and gave me detention."

"WHAT! _Why_?"

"For disobeying, Malfoy."

"_Malfoy_? When?"

"It doesn't matter, Fi! I hate him! I don't know why I liked him in the first place."

"Triwizard Tournament."

They stepped into the common room.

The following week, she found out that her detention consisted of cleaning the Potions room under Professor Chloride's close supervision.

*******

During the rest of April, Lily avoided looking at or speaking to Professor Konrad in Defence Against the Dark Arts, except when absolutely necessary. She was angry and hurt for being so unfairly treated. She had a difficult time understanding why Professor Konrad punished her. Also, Lily suspected that Malfoy was not disciplined. The mere thought of Malfoy not being punished outraged her. On a few occasions, she caught him staring malevolently at her from across the Great Hall.

Lily was touched and amused by Fiona's reaction to Professor Konrad. Lily did not tell Fiona what all occurred between her and Malfoy. She glossed over the details. Nevertheless, Fiona became angry with Konrad. In Defence Against the Dark Arts, Fiona glared at Konrad and made snide comments about him under her breath while he was speaking. Eventually, she crossed the line by becoming rather disrespectful towards him. Consequently, Gryffindor lost another fifty points and Fiona received detention.

*******

In early May, the Gryffindors geared up for their impending Quidditch match with the Ravenclaws. The game was in three days. As it stood, both the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors were undefeated. Lily noticed that the Ravenclaw team members seemed nervous about the match. Zephyr was overheard again expressing his hope that Ravenclaw scored at least ten points.

Finally, the day of the long awaited match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw arrived. There was a tense excitement in the air. The Gryffindor team, wearing black armbands on their scarlet robes, entered the field. As with the other matches, they dedicated their game to Dewdroppe. The Slytherins loudly booed and hissed at the Gryffindors. However, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs drowned out the Slytherins by stomping their feet on the stands. Then the Ravenclaw team stepped into the pitch. The Ravenclaws, in the stands, and, oddly, the Slytherins stood and cheered.

Tory, a Ravenclaw Chaser, scored within the first ten minutes of the game. The Ravenclaws in the stands erupted wildly. Lily, Daisy, Ivy, and Samantha's faces fell. About a half hour later, the score was one hundred to ten, the Gryffindors in the lead thanks to James excellent Chaser skills. Lily and the rest of the Gryffindors screamed wildly for their team. The Ravenclaws were disappointed and anxious.

An hour later, the score was 150 to 20, with the Gryffindors still in the lead. Everyone wondered when the Golden Snitch would appear for it had not been spotted yet. Within fifteen minutes, the Ravenclaws scored thirty points. Shortly afterward, Fiona spotted the Golden Snitch. Luis Santiago, the Ravenclaw Seeker, did not have a prayer of reaching it. Fiona was too quick. She snatched it easily, and raised her closed fist high into the air. The final score was 300 to 50. The Gryffindors won the Quidditch Cup. Lily jumped up and down while screaming as though she were mad.

Strider Louvre, Ravenclaw's team captain, walked up to the Gryffindor captain and shook her hand. Using the Sonorus Charm, for everyone to hear, Louvre told Marina Britannica, Gryffindor's captain, that if any house deserved the Quidditch Cup, it was Gryffindor. Everyone, except the Slytherins who had mostly left the field, wildly cheered. Each member of the Ravenclaw team clasped hands with the Gryffindor team members. Britannica, with tears streaming down her face, raised the Quidditch Cup high into the air and shouted, "For Kristin!" Lily and the rest of the Gryffindors flew down the stands and stormed the Quidditch pitch. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall were spotted wiping their eyes.

*******

At breakfast, three days before the students returned home, two owls, carrying a package, landed in front of Lily and knocked her goblet of pumpkin juice over. One of the owls began eating food from her plate.

"Oy! Be careful, you two!"

She opened the package and discovered a square black box delicately engraved with gold and blue markings. Lily unclasped the box and lifted the lid. An object floated from it and hovered about thirty centimetres above the table.

"WOW!" Fiona's mouth dropped open. "That's Merlin's Enchanted Glass! Why, those are _expensive_!"

Enraptured, Lily gazed at the beautiful glass ball. It looked remarkably like a soap bubble, very delicate appearing. She could see a rainbow of colours shimmering across its surface. Inside the bubble or glass, a fairy sat by a pond and brushed her hair. The fairy also swung her feet, back and forth, in the water. She was clothed in a very short, green skirt, tied on one side. Her sleeveless, green shirt covered only the upper half of her body, leaving her midriff bare. Lily pads floated dreamily on the pond. Lily noticed, with wonder, that the fairy girl had her face and hair. She reached out, palm facing up, and the glass ball gently lowered onto it. Then it began to sound a beautiful, haunting melody.

"Why, it is so beautiful." Lily said, softly. The light from the glowing glass ball shined golden upon her face.

A number of Gryffindors gathered around to obtain a closer look at Lily's gift. Also, a few Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins walked over to see what the attraction was about.

"Who is it from?" said Bertha Jorkins.

"I don't know," Lily whispered. She then picked up the card that came with it. The only name on it was hers. "It doesn't say." She looked at the front and back of the card.

"Some fellow must really love you, Lily," Craig teased.

Lily blushed.

"It's true," agreed Dina Ridgemore, a fifth year Slytherin. "Those are only given by wizards to witches they love. Merlin's Enchanted Glass captures what is in the wizard's heart and then places it inside the ball. I wish Vader would give _me_ an Enchanted Glass," she pouted.

"Well, it seems as though the wizard who gave it to her wishes to remain anonymous," remarked Virgil.

"I wish I could give Sasha an enchanted glass." Craig gazed longingly over at the Ravenclaw table.

Fiona snorted.

"Only someone from a _wealthy_ wizarding family can afford to give something like that. They cost about three hundred Galleons," stated Jorkins condescendingly.

"Lily, why don't you put it away now, and keep it safe. Merlin's Enchanted Glass is very fragile," Melissa Snoflache suggested.

She carefully placed the glass into its box, and latched it closed. Lily wondered who could have sent her such a lovely present.

*******

Three days later, the students departed Hogwarts for home.

**---------**

_**To those who read Lily: The Hogwarts Years**: No spoilers in your reviews, please. ^_~_


	14. Kaleidoscope

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XIV: _Kaleidoscope_**

"My little girl is growing up." Zinnia fondly gazed at Lily.

Lily was waiting for Fiona's father to pick her up. She was quite excited for tonight, on her thirteenth birthday; she would see _Merlin_, the wizard band, in concert. Also, Lily would spend a fortnight at the McKinnons.

"Here, let me look at you." Zinnia critically gave her a once over.

"Muuuuum."

Zinnia allowed Lily to wear lipstick for the occasion. She was clothed in a royal purple and white dress with matching jacket and hood, and she wore her favourite gold, dangling earrings. Lily's rich, dark red hair was wound up in a bun on her head.

"Now, sweetheart, remember to stay with your group."

"I will, Mum."

"And don't take any drinks offered to you by strangers, and no smoking."

"Daaaaad!"

"Don't go anywhere with strangers, dear," Zinnia sternly pronounced.

Lily sighed. "Mum, Dad, I'm _not_ a baby."

Just then, they heard a knock at the door, and Wesley went to open it. Liam McKinnon and Fiona stepped inside. At once, Liam began speaking to Zinnia and Wesley. Fiona joined Lily.

"Oy, Fi!"

Fiona had braided her waist length hair and put it up in a unique, but very attractive, style.

"Hi! Happy Birthday! I hope we get a chance to meet the band members. That would be so cool. Oh! Here." Fiona handed Lily a small, square tablet with a wooden border. A glass-like surface with a strange milky glow was in its centre.

"What is it?" Lily inquired.

"An autograph tablet. You see, when it is written on, the autograph remains forever. Also, images can be transferred to the surface."

"_Brilliant_!"

"Let's hope we get their autographs! I really want Zack's. He is _so_ cute!"

"Max is cuter," Lily countered.

"No, he isn't!"

"Yes, he is!"

"Girls, come along. Craig and Sasha are waiting." Liam picked up Lily's suitcase, and walked briskly out the door.

Zinnia grabbed Lily and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Enjoy yourself, sweetums."

Lily grinned. "Thanks."

Wesley gave her a rough hug.

"Ow, Dad!"

"Sorry, honey. Behave yourself."

"All right. Bye, Mum. Bye, Dad," Lily yelled as she ran out the front door.

*******

About an hour later, Lily, Fiona, Craig, and Sasha stood outside the concert hall. There were hundreds of people, all teenagers and young adults, milling about. Lily and Fiona spotted Daisy and Catherine, and shouted them over.

"Happy Birthday, Lily!" greeted Daisy and Catherine when they arrived.

"You two look really great. I like your outfit, Lily. And Fiona, you must show me how you did your hair. It's so splendid!" Catherine gushed.

"Thanks!" Lily and Fiona exclaimed at the same time.

"Why don't we go in? It's boring out here," Daisy suggested.

"But we still have about thirty minutes," whined Fiona.

"It will take us at _least_ twenty minutes to find our seats," Sasha interjected.

"Oh, all right."

They began to make their way over to the huge double doors. Nearly there, Craig and Sasha spotted some of their friends and walked off to join them, but not before Craig admonished them to not do anything stupid.

At the door, they met Oliver, Anthony, James, and Sirius. The girls gawked at James and Sirius. Both were dressed identically: black trousers, boots, and robes. Their robes were open, revealing bare chests. James had dyed his unruly black hair stark white, and his glasses were a screaming shade of red. Sirius had put his hair in spikes, and dyed it a vibrant red and gold.

"Erm, your parents let you go out without a shirt?" Lily ventured.

James and Sirius glanced at each other.

"Er, well, they don't know," James responded. "We, erm, changed our appearance after my dad dropped us off."

"So, your parents don't know about your hair?" Catherine inquired.

"Er, no." Sirius grinned mischievously.

"What about your glasses?" Fiona said.

"No."

Fiona snorted. "Your parents are going to _kill_ you, if you're caught."

"Oh, don't worry. We aren't going to let that happen, are we, Master Sirius?"

"Nope. Not going to happen."

Lily shook her head and thought, _Great. Of all the boys we run into, they have to be Hogwarts silliest_.

They entered the hall. On the way to their seats, they encountered other familiar faces. They saw Snape, Rosier, and Avery with Kernville, Yolke, and a few other Slytherin girls. The girls glanced haughtily at Lily, Fiona, Daisy, and Catherine. The boys scowled at one another. Lily noticed that there were raised platforms interspersed throughout the hall, with steps leading up to them. She was not exactly sure of their purpose.

Shortly after they were seated, the concert hall began to fill rapidly. A few minutes later, the drapes on the floating stage pulled back to reveal the wizard band, _Merlin_. The hall erupted with screams and whistles, and the band started to play. Soon everyone was standing and dancing, some on their seats.

During one number, Lily happened to catch James and Sirius running to the top of a nearby raised platform. Lily grabbed Fiona by the arm to get her attention. James and Sirius reached the platform summit and started dancing wildly. Lily and Fiona looked at one another and burst out laughing. When they glanced up at the platform again, they observed James and Sirius ripping their robes off, which they threw into the nearby audience. The crowd roared. They gyrated their hips to the music, and attracted the attention of many. Shortly afterwards, Oliver and Anthony joined James and Sirius on the platform. They also ripped off their robes and shirts while swinging their hips like lunatics.

Lily was unsure whether she should continue laughing at the boys' antics or pretend that she did not know them. To her great surprise, Fiona and Daisy joined the boys on the platform and danced almost as wildly! Catherine then grabbed Lily's hand, and gave her a "shall we join them?" look. Lily shrugged, and they edged toward the platform. Once on top of it, Lily danced shyly at first. After awhile, she became less inhibited and danced as freely as the rest of her peers.

Suddenly, lavender beams of light surrounded the platform on which they danced, and the crowd roared.

Lily yelled to Fiona, "What does this mean?"

Fiona shouted, "We get to meet Merlin backstage!"

Lily screamed with excitement.

A few songs later, the band played a slow number. Lily was not exactly thrilled with the prospect of dancing with any of the boys on the platform for all were shirtless and sweaty. James asked her to dance with him. Groaning inwardly, she reluctantly placed her hands on his sweaty shoulders and grimaced.

"Er, sorry. Here." James stepped back, pulled a handkerchief from his trousers' pocket, and wiped off as much sweat as possible.

They resumed dancing. James stepped on her toe.

"Ouch!"

"Er, sorry."

"Erm, how can you see out of your glasses? Isn't everything red?"

"Yeah, but I can see all right."

"Oh. Ouch!" He had stepped on her toes again.

"Sorry."

Lily noticed, around his neck, he wore a thin gold chain from which a pendant of a lion hung.

The song finally ended. Lily was thankful, for James had stepped on her toes a total of _seventeen_ times.

*******

After the concert, Lily and the rest of her group were escorted to a narrow chamber and told to wait. While waiting, the door ahead of them opened. Professor Konrad and two witches stepped out. Lily and her friends' mouths dropped open in shock, and they began blushing furiously. Konrad and his companions wore tight, not to mention quite revealing, attire.

Konrad smirked at them and gruffly spat, "Congratulations, sprogs!" Then he took a swig from the reddish-brown bottle he held. Lily noticed the bottle contained a label that read, "Goblins Gold."

Once Konrad and his companions left the chamber, they stared at one another with red faces. The girls started giggling. The boys snorted and made crude comments about Konrad and his companions.

The door from which Konrad exited opened, and they were beckoned to come in. Once inside, they met the band members: Max, Zack, Jett, Thor, and Crowe. Each member signed the girls' tablets and transferred their images onto them. Since the boys did not have any item on which the band members could sign, they autographed the boys' bare backs instead. James and Sirius also begged them to etch "Merlin" onto their foreheads, even after Max, the bandleader, warned them that it would take at least three months for the etch to disappear. After much whinging and begging on James and Sirius' parts, Max reluctantly etched their foreheads.

Later, they waited outside the concert hall for their parents to pick them up. Oliver, Anthony, James, and Sirius shivered slightly in the mist for they had been unable to locate their robes or shirts. Lily felt sorry for them, but at the same time was amused.

"You four are going to be in a _heap_ of trouble," Craig teased. "Just wait until your parents see you."

At that very moment, a sleek black car pulled up and a man leapt out. Lily reckoned it must be James' father for they looked remarkably alike.

"What the...? James, where in the hell are your robe and shirt? What the bloody hell did you do to your hair and glasses?"

"Er, well, erm, some _girls_...."

"James Godric Potter, don't you _dare_ feed me any rubbish! Get in the car! You too, Sirius."

James and Sirius, with some hesitation, headed for the car door. As they passed Mr. Potter, he smacked them both on the back of their heads.

"Ow, Dad!"

"Ouch! What did you hit _me _for, Mr. Potter?" Sirius rubbed the back of his head.

"Get in the car, and remain silent! Just wait until your mother sees you, James!"

Disgusted, Mr. Potter re-entered the car, slammed the door, and sped away.

Lily and the rest of the group laughed.

*******

As they rapidly headed to Windermere from the concert, with the car having a tendency to leap over objects in front of it, Lily yawned and bent over to brush a spot of dirt from her shoe.

"Oy, what's this?" Sasha removed a folded piece of parchment from the hood of Lily's jacket.

Lily sat up and frowned. "Let me see."

Sasha handed the folded parchment to her.

Lily, with Sasha and Fiona peering over her shoulders, unfolded it and read,

> > > _Lily, the prettiest girl here,_
>>> 
>>> _I love you._

Lily blushed.

"Uh oh!" Sasha teased. "Why, you have a secret admirer. D'you think it's the same bloke who sent Merlin's Enchanted Glass?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know."

"Do you recognise the handwriting?" said Fiona.

"No. D'you?"

"No."

Lily stared out into the darkness, watching the full moon seemingly follow the car, and wondered.

*******

Lily had been at the McKinnons for slightly over a week. In a few more days, she would return home. Thus far, she had enjoyed her stay with the McKinnons. While with Fiona and her family, she visited the headquarters of _Witch Weekly_, for which Kendra wrote articles. Lily also enjoyed the tours of the Ministry of Magic, of which Liam worked in the Law Enforcement division. She had also attended one of the Wimbourne Wasps' Quidditch games.

Kendra opened the door and peeked into Fiona's room, which was in disarray with clothes, magazines, and other items strewn about. Lily, sitting on the floor reading a magazine, and Fiona, sprawled on her bed staring at the ceiling, glanced at Kendra.

"Girls, it's late, almost midnight. Time for lights out, and for you two to tuck in."

"Mum, can we have another five minutes? _Pleeeaaase_?"

"Five minutes, not a second more."

"All right."

Kendra closed the door softly.

Lily read an advertisement for Post Owls. The advertisement claimed that an owl would appear without delay to deliver mail anywhere. All one had to do was walk to a window, lean out, point a wand, and say, "_Charta Aerius_." The service only cost seven sickles. Lily thought that this was just the thing she needed for what she was planning to do.

"Fi, do you want this magazine?" Lily held it up for her to see.

"Erm, no. You can have it if you want."

"Thanks." Lily placed the magazine in her suitcase, and climbed into bed.

"Wait! We must practice kissing before the lights go off," Fiona exclaimed while leaping from her bed. She grabbed her autograph tablet, the one Merlin transferred their images onto, and began kissing it.

Lily searched for her tablet, located it, and practiced kissing on it, also.

They were plunged into darkness as the lights went off.

"Well, we've had _days_ of practice. I think we'll be able to kiss a boy just right, don't you think?" Fiona said in the dark.

"Sure," Lily replied, thinking that kissing a boy would not be the same as kissing a tablet.

*******

On an afternoon in late July, Lily was in her father's study typing on a piece of parchment. She decided to type her note instead of handwriting it so as not to give herself away. Her father allowed her to use his typewriter. Lily read over what she typed.

> > > Headmaster Dumbledore,
>>> 
>>> Dolohov, Travers, Lestrange, Malfoy, and Macnair are supporters of Lord Voldemort. They said that the Dark Lord is on their side. I saw them torture a kitten. Macnair killed it. Also, I saw them torture a Hogwarts student.
>>> 
>>> -A Concerned Wizard

Lily thought to herself that there was no way Dumbledore would figure out who had written the note. She folded it, and ran upstairs to her room. Once inside, she shut the door and flung open the window. Leaning out, with her wand pointing in no particular direction, she quietly said, "C_harta Aerius_." A few minutes passed, but there was no sign of an owl. After about ten minutes, Lily, very disappointed, plopped onto her window seat. Just then, a tawny owl flew into her room.

"Am I glad to see you!"

The owl hooted softly and stuck out its leg.

Lily attached the note to the owl's leg, and then placed seven sickles into the pouch on the other leg. "There you go. Have a nice trip!"

The owl nipped her affectionately, and then soared out the window.

"Well, that's done."

*******

In early August, Lily and her parents planned to visit Hogsmeade. Wesley insisted on seeing Hogsmeade before allowing Lily to visit there on the weekends. All third year students were allowed to visit Hogsmeade on certain weekends, provided that they had permission from their parents. Wesley did not want to sign the form until he had seen the place. Also, he requested, through Liam, permission to visit Hogwarts.

On the first Saturday in August, Lily and her parents travelled to the McKinnons, from where they would depart for Hogsmeade. Once they arrived at the McKinnons, Kendra told them that they would travel to Hogsmeade via Portkey instead of Floo powder. Wesley became excited with the prospect of another trip by Portkey.

At Hogsmeade, they visited the various shops, which Lily and her parents greatly enjoyed. Lily's favourite shops were Gladrags Wizardwear, Honeydukes, and Fantastic Dreams, a shop that sold numerous enchanted items. She begged her parents to buy her things from each shop. At Gladrags Wizardwear, her parents bought her a beautiful velvet green dress robe, the colour of which perfectly matched her eyes. In Honeydukes, they splurged on an assortment of sweets. Zinnia's weak spot was chocolate, on which she freely spent until Lily, Fiona, and Wesley literally dragged her from the shop. At Fantastic Dreams, Lily immediately became entranced with a book containing a photo of a sailboat on a sea. She could hear the waves lapping, the seagulls distant cries, and actually felt a breeze coming from the page. She reached out to touch the page, and exclaimed in surprise when her index finger was wetted. After much pleading on Lily's part, her parents purchased the book filled with magical photos, each of which told a story.

Once they completed their purchases, Wesley directed his clan to the Hogsmeade branch of Gringotts. Although the Hogsmeade version was quite grand, it was not as nearly as impressive as the one in Diagon Alley. Wesley decided that Lily would need a supply of money, if she were going to visit Hogsmeade. At Gringotts, Wesley asked the goblin, Grishnon, if it were possible to establish an allowance of five Galleons per week for Lily. Grishnon explained that it could be done. After everything was in order, they met the McKinnons at the Three Broomsticks.

While eating lunch in the Three Broomsticks, Liam spotted Percivall Super, Minister of Magic. He walked over to his table and spoke with him briefly. Super rose and accompanied Liam to their table.

"Minister, this is Wesley Evans, whom I have spoken to you about. Wesley, this is Percivall Super, Minister of Magic."

Wesley stood and shook hands with Super. "How do you do? Pleasure to meet you, sir."

Super smiled distractedly.

Liam continued, "Wesley, Mr. Super will make the final decision on your case, whether to grant you permission to visit Hogwarts. I understand that Professor Dumbledore is at the castle now. Is that correct, sir?"

"Yes. Please tell me, Mr. Evans, why do you wish to visit Hogwarts? Normally, we do not allow your kind onto the property."

Wesley flushed. "Sir, my daughter attends Hogwarts. As a parent, I am very much interested in my child's welfare."

"Isn't that the case with every parent? I fail to see what makes your case so special," responded Super.

"Isn't it true, sir, that the vast majority of the children's parents were once students of Hogwarts?"

"Well, yes, but as I stated before, we normally do not allow your sort on the property."

Wesley's face became suffuse with anger. Zinnia gently placed her hand on his wrist.

"Look, Mr. _Super_, I only wish to know the type of environment my daughter is being schooled in: how she is being taught, her sleeping arrangements, and the character and credentials of her teachers. Any parent, whatever the _sort_, would want to know these things. I'm her father for God's sake. I pay my hard earned money to send her to this bloody school. The very least you people could do is allow my wife and I to visit!"

Super appraised Wesley with a chilly stare. "All right. I will grant you permission to visit Hogwarts, but only for this one time."

"Thank you, sir. I am grateful."

Super nodded, and returned to his table.

"Slimy bigot," Wesley muttered.

After lunch, they headed to the station from which they would leave for Hogwarts. Lily quickly realised that they would take one of the horseless carriages. She wondered if the ones in Hogsmeade were the same as the ones they used to transport Hogwarts students. Wesley expressed his fascination over the fact that no one or nothing was driving or pulling the carriages.

In a few minutes time, they arrived at Hogwarts. They stepped out of the carriages. Zinnia and Wesley wore identical expressions of mingled shock, fear, anger, and disgust on their faces. They could not see Hogwarts properly! They only saw a large fetid pond containing the rotting hulk of an automobile and an overgrown, weed filled, and rubbish strewn field, all of which the wreck of a former castle brooded over.

"Come, Mum, Dad! I want to show you my room!" Lily grabbed each of their hands, and tugged them toward the main entrance of the castle.

Zinnia and Wesley stared at one another and wondered how on earth their daughter would enjoy coming to such a rotten place. Anger began to take over Wesley's jumbled emotions.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Liam smiled broadly at Wesley and Zinnia.

Just when Wesley was seriously considering ramming his fist into Liam's face, he received the shock of his life. Next to him, Zinnia gasped. A very large, imposing castle had replaced the ruin that was before him. Confused, Wesley glanced around and noticed that the fetid pond had been replaced with a large and peaceful appearing lake. The grounds about the castle were immaculate, with fresh and beautiful flowers growing here and there. Completely baffled, Wesley and Zinnia gazed at each other.

The group walked into the castle, and was greeted by Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall.

After the introductions, Wesley stated, "Thank you, sir, for allowing my wife and I to visit your school on such short notice. Tell me, where exactly is this school located?"

Dumbledore thought for a moment. "Hmm, would you find my response adequate if I only told you in which country Hogwarts is located? I fear that is all I can divulge."

"All right. If you aren't at liberty to share more, I am willing to settle on which country this school is in. We're in Scotland, are we not? There are mountains nearby."

"Yes, well spotted!

"Come. Professor McGonagall will give you and your wife a tour of our fine school while I speak with your daughter."

Lily was startled by this announcement, and glanced up at Professor Dumbledore.

"Is that all right with the two of you? It's only for a moment, and we will rejoin you."

Wesley glanced quizzically at Zinnia. Zinnia shrugged in response.

"All right," Wesley replied, slightly unsure.

"Thank you, sir. Miss Evans, why don't you follow me?"

Lily followed Dumbledore.

"How do you like Hogwarts so far?" Dumbledore inquired as they proceeded through one of the corridors.

"Erm, it's okay." Lily was uncomfortable for she found Dumbledore slightly intimidating.

Dumbledore chuckled. "I hope one day you will eventually find Hogwarts more than 'okay.'

"I notice each year, at the end of term, you consistently score near the top of your year. That is quite an achievement. If you manage to, erm, dethrone Potter and Black, you will end up at the top."

Lily looked up at him and wondered if he were making a joke. He smiled down at her with a teasing twinkle in his eyes.

"Ah! What is a little competition amongst students? Trying to achieve the highest marks is a worthy goal, wouldn't you say?"

Lily nodded her head.

"I thought you would agree. Alas, here we are!"

They arrived outside a statue of a gargoyle.

"Fizzing Whizbees," Dumbledore uttered, and the gargoyle jumped aside.

Ahead, Lily spotted an escalator spiralling upwards. They stepped onto it. At the end, with Lily feeling slightly dizzy, Dumbledore opened a door and she walked into a spacious room. She observed that it contained a number of intriguing and fascinating items.

Suddenly, she heard eerily, beautiful music.

"I see that Fawkes has taken a liking to you."

Lily spied a bird with magnificent red and gold plumage peering at her.

"It's beautiful! What kind of bird is he, sir?"

"A Phoenix. Come, have a seat."

"A Phoenix? The kind that can be reborn from ashes?" Lily sat in a chair in front of a large desk.

Dumbledore smiled. "That is correct."

"Wow!"

Fawkes flew over and landed on the desk while still singing and watching her.

"Sir? May I touch him? Please?"

"Yes, you may."

Lily slowly reached out her hand and gently touched the bird. She noticed that it was strangely warm to the touch. She stroked it softly. The bird closed its eyes as though it were experiencing something quite wonderful. Lily smiled.

"Lily, have you seen or experienced anything out of the ordinary since you have been in Hogwarts?"

Dumbledore's question alarmed Lily, and she stopped petting the bird. Fawkes ceased singing.

"Erm, no. What do you mean, sir?"

"Have you seen or experienced anything distressing? Has anyone in Hogwarts ever harmed you?"

Lily became afraid, and wondered if he had determined that it was she who sent the note.

Fawkes returned to his perch.

"It's all right to tell me, Lily. I'm on your side," he said, softly.

Lily wrestled with whether or not to tell him about what happened. She did not want him to become disappointed or disgusted with her. She thought, _I could have saved the kitten! I had my wand with me, but I forgot about it. What kind of witch am I? What kind of witch would forget to use the wand in her pocket? I could have saved the kitten! If I had kept my head, the kitten would be alive today. I could have taken it for my own. Snowball wouldn't have minded. Why did I forget to use my wand? It's my fault the kitten died! I killed it because I was a stupid witch who forgot to use her wand. I hate myself for that! I killed it! I can't tell him this. He would wonder what kind of witch I am, and he will know that I let a poor kitten die. _

Lily squirmed in the chair for a moment, and then quietly replied, with eyes downcast, "Erm, no."

Dumbledore sighed. "Very well then." Briefly, he stared off into space.

"Just so that you know: recently, I have been keeping a close watch on the activities of Malfoy, Dolohov, Travers, Macnair, and Lestrange. You have my word that I will do my utmost to ensure that they will not harm you or any student in this school again."

Lily looked down at her hands with tears in her eyes.

Softly he said, "There is nothing for you to be ashamed of, Lily."

A tear escaped and rolled down Lily's cheek. Fawkes landed on her left thigh, and she began to stroke its bright feathers. She whispered, with tears spilling down her cheeks, "I had my wand, but I forgot about it. It was my fault the kitten died."

"Lily, you were outnumbered by older boys who had more experience with magic than you. One of them would have disarmed you. They intended for that kitten to die, one way or the other. You alone, with your limited experience, could not have saved it."

A weight seemed to lift from her shoulders.

"Can you make me one promise before we rejoin your parents?"

Lily nodded her head.

"Could you promise me that if you see or experience anything wrong in this school, you will come to me?"

"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't say anything before." Lily's voice trembled.

"Fear and guilt are the reasons you remained silent. That is understandable. I would also be incorrect in thinking that they did not threaten you. Your silence has been forgiven. Now, you must forgive yourself." He stood.

Fawkes returned to his perch.

"Let's rejoin your parents, shall we?"

Lily rose from the chair while wiping her eyes. Dumbledore placed a hand gently on her shoulder as they approached the door.

In a corridor, on their way to Gryffindor's common room, Dumbledore gave her a few lemon drops. Lily wondered how in the world he figured out that it was she who sent the note.

Once they caught up with Lily's parents and the McKinnons, Lily and Fiona escorted Wesley and Zinnia around the Gryffindor common room. Zinnia and Wesley were amused by the water temperature settings in the girls' bathroom.

After slightly more than an hour upon arriving at Hogwarts, they left with Wesley and Zinnia having a favourable impression of Dumbledore. Lily felt happier and more at peace than she had been in a long time.

**---------**

_**Note:** I have no idea who was the Minister of Magic before Cornelius Fudge. It could have been someone named Kookleburro or something. We may find out in a future book or in an interview. If we do find out later, remember that this was posted on **3 June 2001**. Also, remember that flames will be used to heat my cauldron. ^_~_


	15. Synergia

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XV: _Synergia_**

Lily and her father slowly strolled toward Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley. They had just finished purchasing textbooks for Lily. Zinnia was unable to accompany them for Petunia had taken ill.

_It must be my imagination_, Lily thought. She noticed that some of the wizards and witches were behaving a bit hostile towards her and her father. The atmosphere in Diagon Alley seemed less friendly to her than last year or the year before.

"Bloody Muggles," muttered an evil appearing wizard as he approached Lily and Wesley. Once he reached them, he spat on the ground next to Wesley. His shoe was splattered with slime.

"Who the bloody hell do you think you are?" yelled Wesley.

"Dad. Dad, let's go. Forget him." Alarmed by the cold malice seen in the wizard's face, Lily pulled on her father's arm.

"Listen to your little Mudblood, expletive," sneered the wizard.

"Who the bloody hell are you calling an expletive, pond scum?" Wesley got right up in the wizard's face.

"Dad, _NO_!"

Too late, the wizard yanked out his wand and pointed it at Wesley.

Without thinking and before the wizard could utter a curse, Lily whipped out her wand and shouted, "_Expelliarmus_!"

The wizard was thrown backward onto the sidewalk. His wand flew toward Lily, which she deftly caught while keeping her wand pointed at him.

He leapt up from the ground with a murderous expression on his face, and growled, "Give me my wand, you little bitch."

Wesley slammed his fist into the wizard's mouth, and a scuffle immediately ensued with Lily shouting, "LEAVE ME DAD ALONE! HIT HIM, DAD!"

Shortly afterwards, several wizards rushed onto the scene. Lily glanced around and saw James, Sirius, and Remus flanking her with their wands out. James' father and another man were attempting to separate Wesley from the hostile wizard. Finally, they succeeded in pulling them apart. Lily noticed that her father's nose was bleeding and he had a black eye. The hostile wizard bled from the mouth and nose, and had a large swelling on his jaw.

"Let go of me, Potter," the wizard snarled.

"Not until you have convinced me that you will go on your merry way after I let you go, Mulciber," replied James' father.

"I'll leave when my wand is returned," Mulciber sneered.

"Who has his wand?" said Mr. Potter.

"I do," replied Lily.

"Here, give it to me."

Lily, with a brief hesitation, handed the wand over to Mr. Potter.

"Here! Now leave us!"

"You're going to come to a sticky end, Potter. You mark my words," Mulciber glared contemptuously at Mr. Potter, and then sauntered off.

Mr. Potter briefly stared at Mulciber's receding back, and then turned to Wesley.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Wesley mumbled while wiping blood from his face.

"Dad, I can fix you. Here." Lily pointed her wand at his face, and said, "_Evanesco_." The bruises disappeared from his face.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Wesley held up a handkerchief to his bleeding nose.

"Why don't we walk over to Florean Fortescue's to, er, cool off?" Mr. Potter suggested.

"All right. My daughter and I were already heading in that direction when the village idiot appeared."

"By the way, I'm Edward John Potter. This is my son, James Godric, and his friends, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin."

"Pleased to make all of your acquaintances." Wesley shook their hands. "I'm Wesley Evans, and this is my daughter, Lily."

"How do you do, Lily? It's so very nice to meet you." James curtsied before her.

"Yes, it's nice to meet a fair lady once in a while." Sirius bowed.

"Oh, quit it," Lily replied with a half smile on her face. She noticed "Merlin" was still etched on their foreheads.

Once inside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, Lily and the boys found a booth to sit in. Wesley and Edward occupied one just behind them. Florean Fortescue came by a moment later to take their orders, and shortly afterwards, the ice creams arrived. Lily ordered a strawberry soda with scoops of vanilla and chocolate ice cream. It was topped with a plump strawberry, a sprinkling of nuts, and loads of whipped cream.

"Lily, which lesson did you sign up for?" James inquired while licking ice cream from a spoon.

"Muggle Studies."

"Muggle Studies? Why? Aren't your parents Muggles?"

"Yes, but Fiona and Samantha begged me to sign up for the lesson with them. So, I did. It should be really easy for me since I know everything about Muggles. Also, I think it would be interesting to know how much the magical world knows about Muggles."

"Not much," Remus put in.

"Are any of you taking Muggle Studies?" Lily sipped some of her soda.

"No," all three boys responded at once.

"We signed up for Divination," Sirius stated.

"Oh."

"Lily, watch this." James levitated three scoops of his strawberry ice cream, and then placed a green straw underneath them. "_Voila_! A flower!"

Lily shook her head, and ate more of her ice cream.

"Oh, I can do better than that. Lily, look." Sirius levitated two scoops of his vanilla ice cream, and then placed a banana below them. "See? A smiling face!"

"You two are _so_ silly."

"Silly, eh?" James remarked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Aye, _very_ silly. You two are the _silliest_ boys I've _ever_ known in my _entire_ life."

"Good. I'm glad." James grinned at her.

"Tell her about Crabbe and Goyle," Remus interjected while licking chocolate fudge from a spoon.

"Who are they?"

"Just some stupid Slytherin sixth years. No, they are, erm, seventh years now, I think," replied Sirius.

"Not if they didn't pass their sixth year. Crabbe and Goyle are these big, stupid, ugly, hairy, Slytherin oafs. You haven't seen them around Hogwarts? You can't miss them!" James exclaimed.

Lily thought for a moment. "Nooo, I don't think so. I guess I've never noticed them."

"Well, they are morons. Instead of speaking like normal people, they grunt like trolls. In fact, they even _look_ like trolls," added Sirius.

"Yeah, and I bet they grunt like pigs when they eat," said Remus.

"Like this?" James placed his face into his bowl of ice cream, and then began snuffling and snorting it up. "Ice cream good," he grunted with ice cream dripping from his face and glasses.

Lily giggled.

"Want try some, too." Sirius put his face into his bowl of ice cream and started slopping it up and grunting.

Lily giggled a little louder, for both James and Sirius were slurping up their ice cream.

"More," Remus grunted, and plopped his face into his ice cream. He began snuffling it up while oinking like a pig.

Lily doubled up with laughter.

The boys continued snorting, slopping, and slurping up their ice cream. Very soon, they attracted the attention of the other patrons in the parlour, who eyed them as though they were lunatics. Lily nearly screamed with laughter.

"What the hell are you boys doing?" yelled Edward Potter.

James, Sirius, and Remus looked up with ice cream dripping from their faces.

"Look at you three! Embarrassing the hell out of me in public. Every time I take you out, James, you see fit to make a bloody fool of yourself. Now, clean that mess off your faces and stop showing off!" He glared at them briefly, and then swung back around.

Lily caught an expression of amusement on her father's face.

James softly oinked. Lily, Remus, and Sirius doubled up with silent laughter.

*******

The students arrived at Hogwarts without any unusual incidents occurring on the Hogwarts Express. After the sorting and the introduction of the Prefects and Head Boy and Girl, Professor Dumbledore made a brief announcement.

"It would seem that some of the scuffles between houses that started last year continued into the summer holidays. As you are aware, magic is only permitted outside of school in cases of self-defence and for practicing lessons. It seems that several of you, during the summer, have used magic for aggressive acts. I will see those individuals to discuss their detentions after the feast.

"A reminder: the Forbidden Forest and the Whomping Willow are forbidden.

"Cielo! Arthur! Osiris!"

*******

Nearly a month elapsed since the start of the term. Lily and the rest of the Gryffindors sorely missed Professor Sandolini, especially after meeting Professor Kettleburn, who had returned as the regular professor of Care of Magical Creatures. He was totally bald and a bit on the grumpy side. He also had a knack for angering or annoying the creatures in his care.

Lily thoroughly enjoyed Muggle Studies because she found it rather entertaining. Since she knew so much about Muggles, Professor Arkayika occasionally asked her to assist with teaching the lessons.

One day, in early October, Professor Kettleburn surprised the students with a centaur. Lily thought the centaur, with his black, shiny hair and vivid, emerald green eyes, was handsome.

"Students, this is Raven. He is visiting us from the Forbidden Forest. Now, conversing with centaurs can be annoying for they have an irritating habit of speaking in riddles or in abstract terms."

Raven glared at Professor Kettleburn.

"Centaurs have a tendency to spend much of their time searching the heavens for dubious messages. Sometimes, they spend so much time trying to explore the hidden meanings in the stars that they forget they are on earth. As a result, they become completely out of touch with reality."

Lily observed that Raven appeared angry, and was staring at Professor Kettleburn with an ominous glint in his eyes.

"Now, let's see what Raven has to tell us. Raven?"

"You are the most unwise human I have ever encountered," Raven responded.

Some of the students laughed.

"Ah, well, let's forget about that, shall we? D'you have anything worthwhile to share with us?"

Raven gazed into the sky for a moment. "Jupiter will be in conjunction with Saturn."

"See? What did I tell you? Can anyone interpret what Raven has just shared with us?"

Raven reared up on his hind legs. "You bloody fool!"

"Now, now, let's not start with the name-calling. Just tell us what you mean by this astronomy nonsense."

"You are a fool! Why can't you see the signs before you? There are those whose fate is death!"

"Well, we will _all_ die _some_day. As much as one may like to, no one can live forever," Professor Kettleburn chuckled.

"Idiot! When the planets align, there will be much death! Some will not come of age. Don't take this lightly!"

The students nervously whispered amongst themselves.

"Come now, Raven, it is not necessary for you to frighten my students."

"When the planets align on a day when the snow falls out of turn, death will come on the heels of a bitter wind to claim a maiden."

The students were silenced with fear.

"Oh, come now, you are terrifying my students, especially the young witches. Let's stop this nonsense. They are safe at Hogwarts."

Raven reared up on his hind legs again. "I will not waste more of my time discussing matters of life and death with a bumbling idiot such as yourself!" With that, he turned and galloped into the forest. He quickly disappeared from view.

"Now, now, just ignore what he said. I assure you, none of you are going to die anytime soon. Why don't we see how the floaches are coming along, eh?"

The students slowly and reluctantly walked toward a shed near the lake.

"Raven said that one of us is going to die," Ivy said in a low voice.

"Well, it's not going to be any of us! Besides, that was just pure rubbish. What do centaurs know? They aren't even human!" Azusa Kernville scathingly retorted behind them.

Fiona turned around and glared at Azusa. "What makes you so sure it was rubbish, Azusa? What if Raven is right, and one of us dies?"

"If it's true, McKinnon, you can bet your skinny little self that it will not be one of us Slytherins." Azusa stared at Fiona with contempt.

"Yeah, that's because none of you are maidens, just a bunch of hags," Lily blurted out.

"I'd rather be a hag than DEAD!" screamed Azusa.

"What if you are killed, Azusa? Then you would be a DEAD HAG!" Fiona yelled back.

Tara Yolke shouted, "Why don't you two leave Azusa alone? You're just jealous of her!"

Remus snorted. "Why would they be jealous of _her_? Gryffindor has the prettiest girls in our year."

"Butt out, Lupin," Pertinax Avery threatened.

Remus pulled out his wand. "Make me."

Avery yanked out his wand.

They glared at each other briefly, and then Remus shouted, "_Papulae_" at the same time as Avery screamed, "_Vertigo_."

"What's going on here?" Professor Kettleburn saw Remus stumbling around as though he had just hopped off a fast-moving carousel. A bad case of acne was erupting on Avery's face.

"_Finite Incantatem_. 

"That will be twenty points from the each of your houses. Mr. Avery, you can see Madam Pomfrey about your face _after_ the lesson ends. Come, the floaches need feeding," grumbled Professor Kettleburn.

James muttered, "Let's feed them a few Slytherins."

Lily absolutely hated working with the floaches: a nightmarish cross between a housefly and a cockroach, and about the size of a large rat. They were exceedingly repulsive creatures with voracious appetites.

Almost to the door of the shed, in which the floaches were housed, Lily overheard Evan Rosier telling Azusa and Avery that he would report the incident to Professor Konrad, so there was no need for them to worry about the lost points. Lily wondered what he meant by that.

*******

In mid-October, Professor Arkayika announced in Muggle Studies that Professor Dumbledore approved of their request to have a costume party in conjunction with the Halloween feast. The students clapped and cheered upon hearing the news. At the Halloween Costume Party, they would have the opportunity to vote for the ten best costumes. Later that day, during dinner, Dumbledore announced the Halloween party to the entire school.

On Halloween, after lessons ended for the day, Lily and the girls were in their room frantically working on last minute details. Lily, dressed as a black cat, was trying to get her whiskers on properly while Snowball eyed her disdainfully. Finally, she put them on correctly. She smiled at Fiona and the rest of the girls. Fiona was dressed as a banshee; Daisy, medusa; Ivy, a wood sprite; and Samantha, a near-sighted mummy.

"Lily, you really look like a cat, especially with your green eyes." Daisy appraised her admiringly.

"Meow," Lily responded, and giggled.

Snowball stretched and yawned.

"Let's go, shall we?" Samantha suggested in a muffled voice while grabbing her camera.

When they entered the Great Hall, they saw scores of students dressed as mummies, zombies, werewolves, banshees, vampires, trolls, goblins, bats, owls, mermaids, demons, and pumpkins. Some wore costumes resembling some of the creatures they had studied either in Defence Against the Dark Arts or Care of Magical Creatures such as unicorns, hinkypunks, floaches, grindylows, and centaurs. Lily, Fiona, Daisy, Samantha, and Ivy slowly made their way over to Gryffindor's table.

"Hi, Lily."

"Oh, hullo. Erm, nice costume."

Severus was dressed as a vampire. Rosier, standing beside him, wore a demon costume.

"Thanks. You make a nice cat, but watch out for vampires," Severus responded.

"Cats don't have to worry about vampires, silly."

"They should."

Severus and Rosier walked off smirking.

"What did he mean by that?" Ivy said.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know."

Just then, the lights in the hall flickered and dimmed, and they heard several screams.

"What's going on? Why is it suddenly cold in here?" Daisy said in a low voice.

"Blimey, dementors! Look!"

They turned in the direction in which Ivy was pointing, and observed two tall figures, wearing black cloaks and hoods that hid their faces, gliding into the hall.

"Those can't be _real_ dementors. Some of the professors are laughing!" Samantha exclaimed.

"What's a dementor?" said Lily.

"You don't know what a dementor is?" Daisy said, incredulously.

"No."

"They guard Azkaban, and they love darkness and despair. When they enter a room, joy and happiness are destroyed, and each person is left with sad thoughts and memories," responded Ivy.

"Aye, and sometimes, they will steal your soul with a kiss," Fiona added.

"Why, that's _terrible_! What _is_ Azkaban? Some kind of prison?"

"Yes. It's an awful place on an island in the middle of the North Sea. My dad said that after a time the prisoners in Azkaban commit suicide."

They noticed that the individuals in dementor costumes were gliding their way.

"I wonder who they are," Lily said.

The "dementors" reached them as they were sitting down at the table.

"Hello, Miss Cat, Mummy, Medusa, Banshee, and Wood Sprite. Have any happy memories or thoughts you would like to give away?"

"I should have known it would be you two!" Lily gazed at James and Sirius with admiration. "I like your costumes, though. They are _so_ cool!"

"Thank you. We like yours, too. Don't we, James?"

"Aye, we do, a lot."

Lily blushed. "Thanks."

"So, how did you do it?" Fiona said.

"Do what?" James responded.

"You know, dim the lights and make it get cold in here," replied Samantha.

"We're not going to tell you," said Sirius.

"Oh, come on, _pleeeeease_?" begged Daisy.

"No. It's a secret," James said.

"We're not going to tell anyone. We promise!" Lily exclaimed.

"Erm, we'll think about it," replied James.

As they glided away, they heard Sirius say, "Let's find Peter, the rat. It's too bad Remus couldn't be here."

The girls watched everyone parade around in their costumes. At some point, except for a few whistles, hoots, and catcalls, silence descended on the hall. Near the door were three fifth year girls wearing black leather micro minis, sandals with three-inch heels, halters in gaudy colours, obviously fake mink stoles, and a ton of makeup and jewellery. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall rose from their chairs and moved briskly toward the girls while frowning and shaking their heads.

"What is the meaning of this? You girls ought to be ashamed of yourselves!" said Professor McGonagall.

One of the girls replied, "Why? What's wrong with our costumes?"

"Oxford, I cannot _believe_ you asked such an idiotic question!" McGonagall retorted.

"Girls, your costumes are inappropriate," said Dumbledore softly. "You must leave and find something more suitable to wear."

"But why, Professor? We are dressed as Muggles. This is how Muggle women dress."

"WHAT? And _where_, pray tell me, did you get that information, Carpenter?"

"We saw them, Professor. Muggle ladies dressed like we are."

"Exactly where did you see these women?" Professor Dumbledore quietly inquired.

"They were in London. We saw a bunch of them entering and leaving this house dressed as we are. They were quite popular, and had heaps of boyfriends."

Professor McGonagall gazed at them with an astounded expression on her face, and then sighed. "Girls, follow me." She escorted them out of the hall. Several older boys booed.

Once everyone was seated, the feast began with real bats swooping high above. The food was delicious. While they ate, Dumbledore waved his wand, and spooky, but upbeat, music began playing in the background. After puddings, everyone voted for the best costumes. Lily voted for James, Sirius, Fiona, Daisy, Ivy, and Samantha. The votes were collected and placed into the Sorting Hat. Lily was surprised that the Sorting Hat was being used for counting.

"In a moment, we will find out the ten who were voted as having the best costumes. When I call your name, come to the front of the hall. Please withhold your applause until all ten names have been called. Ah! The moment has arrived!"

The Sorting Hat started spitting out pieces of parchment.

"Leticia King of Slytherin, James Potter of Gryffindor, Daisy Craven of Gryffindor..."

Daisy rose from her chair with a shocked expression on her face. Lily, Fiona, Ivy, and Samantha smiled at her.

"Sirius Black of Gryffindor, Lily Evans of Gryffindor..."

Lily gasped, and nervously walked to the front of the hall while feeling self-conscious She stood next to Daisy.

"Samuel Chapin of Hufflepuff, Gary Packard of Ravenclaw, Dahlia Mackey of Slytherin, George Fawcett of Ravenclaw, and Matthew Stebbins of Hufflepuff."

Once the applause died down, Dumbledore said, "Congratulations to the each of you. Your costumes are quite creative and imaginative, of which your fellow students agree. Your prize is two free passes to Fantasia Realm Amusement Park in Hogsmeade. Again, congratulations!"

The Hall erupted with cheers as Professor Dumbledore shook the winners' hands and gave them their prize.

*******

On a very stormy Saturday afternoon in mid-November, Lily, Fiona, and Samantha were in the common room playing Exploding Snap. They were disappointed with the weather, for they would rather be in Hogsmeade drinking butterbeer and eating Honeyduke's sweets. The week before, they had a great time at Fantasia Realm Amusement Park.

"Erm, hullo."

The girls looked up to see Remus, James, and Sirius staring down at them.

"What do you want?" Fiona said, scornfully.

"Why, do you have a problem with our presence, Miss Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum?"

"Oh, shut your gob, Sirius."

Lily shook her head. Lately, Fiona had been getting into battles with James and Sirius, Sirius in particular.

"Actually, James and Sirius would like to know if you three would like to play a game with us," Remus stated.

"What game?" Lily said.

"Wizard Trivia," responded James.

"Oh. Erm, all right. I guess." Lily looked at Fiona and Samantha, and then shrugged.

"Are you sure you want to play, Lily?" Fiona said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Well, yes. All we have to do is answer some questions, right?"

"Yes, just answer some questions. That's all," Remus responded with a devilish expression on his face.

Lily glanced at the boys, and at Fiona and Samantha. She observed that all wore expressions of mischief. Lily eyed them suspiciously.

"James, is this one of your silly pranks?"

"No, not at all," he smirked. "See?" He showed her the rectangular shaped box he held. Lily saw the words "Wizard Trivia" written on the top.

"You've never played Wizard Trivia before, have you?" Samantha said.

"No."

"It's heaps of fun. You're going to like it. Come, let's go," ordered Remus.

"Where are we going?" Lily said.

"Erm, to an empty classroom," Sirius replied.

"Why can't we stay here?"

"This isn't a good place for it. It's better to play it somewhere else," answered Fiona.

"I think all of you are up to something."

"No, we aren't. You'll like it. Really," said Samantha.

"Oh, all right." Lily reluctantly followed them out of the common room.

They eventually entered a room in a corridor on the second floor.

"Are you sure this is all right?" Lily said.

"Yes. No one is going come in today. It's Saturday," replied James.

"Let's sit here on this rug," Sirius directed.

They all sat down.

"Er, Lily, you can't sit next to Miss Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum," Sirius stated.

Fiona glared at him.

"Why?" said Lily.

"Rules of the game. Swap places with Remus," he ordered.

"Oh, _all right_!" Lily squeezed in between Remus and Sirius.

"For Lily, I will explain the game. If you answer a question incorrectly, you will briefly change into some creature. If you answer a question _correctly_, you will move the number of spaces it says on the card. If you get this card..." Sirius showed them a card featuring a hag with large, ruby-red lips and an arrow pointing left. "You must kiss the person on your left."

"_WHAT_?" Lily said. "I'm not kissing _anyone_!"

"Oh, come on, Lily! It's loads of fun," Fiona exclaimed.

Lily glared at her.

"Please, Lily? It's not like you're going to get the card every time," added Samantha.

Lily narrowed her eyes at them.

"Please?" Remus begged.

"Oh, _all right_!" Lily glowered at them.

"Continuing on, if the arrow points to the right, then you must kiss the person on your right. If you get this card..." Sirius held up a card that had a picture of a vampire with ridiculously large, ruby-red lips on it. "You can choose whomever you want to kiss. The room next door, on the left, is the, erm, kissing room."

Lily rolled her eyes.

"The winner is the first person to get here." Sirius pointed to an image of a white tower at one corner of the board.

"Let the game begin," James proclaimed in a mock deep voice.

Lily shook her head, and wondered why she allowed them to convince her to play the silly game.

"Remus, you're first," said Sirius.

Remus selected a card and read the question. He answered it aloud. Above the circle, green smoke appeared and formed the word, "Correct." They continued on with the game. Fiona was the first person to answer a question incorrectly. What happened when someone missed a question thoroughly shocked Lily. No smoke appeared; the player simply turned into a creature. In Fiona's case, she transformed into a gargoyle for a few seconds. They all shouted and backed away from her. The game resumed. Samantha turned into a flobberworm and Remus, a mermaid.

About forty-five minutes into the game, Lily conceded that it was much fun after all. Then she picked up a card with a hag on it, and an arrow pointing left. Sirius was seated to her left.

"Must I?" she said.

"Yes!" they chorused with grins on their faces.

Smiling, Sirius stood. "Er, let's go."

Groaning, Lily reluctantly followed him out the door. They entered an empty classroom next door.

"I'm ready!" Sirius exclaimed with a broad grin on his face.

"Er, how am I going to kiss you properly, if you're smiling at me?"

"You're going to kiss me on the mouth?"

"No, _stupid_!"

"Oh." He looked disappointed.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you _looking_ at me!"

"Oh, all right," he muttered, and closed his eyes.

Lily placed her hands on his shoulders, stood on her toes, and quickly kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks, Lily." He opened his eyes and grinned at her.

They returned to the room with Lily's face noticeably red. The rest hooted and whistled at them. They continued to play, with James ending up kissing Fiona, and Samantha kissing Sirius. Remus received a card with a hag on it and an arrow pointing to his left. Lily was on his left, and therefore he had to kiss her. In the empty classroom, Remus quickly kissed Lily on the forehead while blushing. They resumed playing with Lily turning into a unicorn for missing a question; Sirius, a hippogriff; and James, a faun. At the end of two hours, each person had kissed the person next to him or her. Lily admitted to herself that kissing a boy was not so bad after all. _At least none of them are ugly_, she thought.

After two and a half hours of playing Wizard Trivia, James picked up the vampire card. Remus and Sirius cheered and whistled.

"Which of these lovely ladies will you choose, Master James?" Sirius inquired.

James smiled, and his face reddened. "Erm..." He briefly gazed down at the card he held. "Lily."

Lily thought, _Great. I hope he isn't silly about it._

They walked into the empty classroom.

"Erm, hi."

Lily raised her eyebrow at him, and then frowned slightly. "Er, hello."

"I think your hair is beautiful." He stared at her with a slightly dreamy expression on his red face.

Lily blushed, and glanced down at her feet.

At that precise instant, James quickly kissed her on the mouth, and before she could react he was already walking out the door.

**---------**

_**To those who read Lily: The Hogwarts Years**: No spoilers in your reviews, please. ^_~_


	16. Wizards and Witches

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XVI: _Wizards and Witches_**

After Potions, Lily and Fiona chatted while heading to the common room.

"Er, excuse me. Lily?"

Lily and Fiona turned to see a boy behind them. Lily regarded him with a puzzled expression on her face. She vaguely recalled seeing him on a few occasions in the common room.

"Erm, could I talk to you for a moment?" he inquired.

Lily glanced at Fiona, and shrugged. "All right."

He looked at Fiona. "You don't mind, do you?"

Fiona brusquely replied, "No."

"Er, okay." He considered Fiona for a brief moment. "Let's go over here." He directed Lily to an area of the corridor presently devoid of students.

"Hi. My name is Frank Longbottom. I'm a fifth year, in Gryffindor. You've probably spotted me in the common room on occasion."

"Erm, yes. Hullo." Lily gazed at him. Frank was attractive, with a stocky build, dark hair, and smoky grey eyes.

"Erm, I was wondering if you would go to the Yule Ball with me. It's the end of this month, just before Christmas holiday."

Lily's face reddened slightly, and she mumbled, "Erm, all right."

He grinned. "Thanks! I'll see you then!"

Lily walked over to Fiona.

"What was that about? Who was he?" Fiona said.

"His name is Frank Longbottom, and he asked me to the Yule Ball."

"So, what did you say?"

"I said that I would."

"You didn't!"

"I did."

"You don't even know him!"

"He seemed nice. Besides, he's a Gryffindor like us."

"So? You're just going to go with any old boy who asks you out?"

"No! Of course not!"

"Well, it seems that way."

"How could you say that? Why are you all of a sudden mad at me?"

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are!"

"I _said_ that I wasn't, Lily!"

"Okay then, let's drop it!"

Fuming, they proceeded to the common room. As they entered, Fiona said, "Don't you think James will be jealous when he finds out?"

"What?"

"Never mind!" Fiona ran up the stairs leading to the girls' dormitory.

Lily slowly climbed the stairs while wondering what was eating Fiona.

*******

About a week before the Yule Ball, Lily received, by owl post, her green velvet dress robe. Lily was excited about the Yule Ball, and that was all she, Daisy, and Ivy had been talking since near the beginning of the month. Daisy was attending the Yule Ball with Philippe Hermann, a fifth year Gryffindor, and Ivy was going with Luis Santiago, the Seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team.

On the night of the Yule Ball, Lily, Daisy, and Ivy were in the bathroom putting on lipstick. All three had their hair in large appealing ringlets, courtesy of Daisy, who had a flair for creating hairstyles. Daisy wore a frilly, brown dress robe and Ivy, a teal one. They exited the bathroom and returned to their room. When they entered, Fiona leapt from her bed and left the room in a huff. They glanced at each other with a "what is her problem?" expression on their faces. Lily and Fiona's friendship had become strained, and Lily had not a clue why.

"Stand over here," directed Samantha. Lily, Daisy, and Ivy stood close together in front of a window so that Samantha could take their photo.

"Now, smile!" Samantha ordered, and then snapped their picture. Thin tendrils of smoke escaped from the magical camera. Lily could not wait to see how the photo developed, and her only hope was that she did not blink too much in it.

Ivy left the common room to meet Luis Santiago while Lily and Daisy waited in the common room for Frank and Philippe. About a minute later, Frank and Philippe ran noisily downstairs and into the common room where they abruptly halted in front of the girls.

"Hi!" said Frank. "Erm, you look very nice."

"Thanks. Erm, so do you." Frank wore a dark red dress robe.

"Well, let's go to the Great Hall."

Once in the Great Hall, they found a place to sit. Once seated, Lily spotted Craig and Sasha approaching her direction.

"Hello," greeted Craig and Sasha.

"Hi."

"You look very pretty in that dress robe, Lily. It really brings out your eyes. Craigie, doesn't she look pretty?"

"Yeah, and so do you."

Lily and Sasha smiled at him.

"Come, Sasha. I think Virgil and Renee are trying to get our attention."

"All right. Bye, Lily!" Sasha exclaimed as Craig pulled her away by the hand.

Frank informed Lily that the Head Boy and Head Girl and their partners always led the dance after the feast. While they waited for the feast to begin, Lily watched the couples enter the Great Hall and find places to sit. She spied Daisy and Philippe sitting with a group of students at a corner table. Ivy and Luis shared a table with Craig and Sasha along with a number of other Ravenclaws. Most of the students sitting at the table with Lily and Frank were Gryffindors.

"Oy, Frank! Looking _real_ good, chum! Who's the girl?"

Lily glanced in the direction of the voice, and her breath caught in her throat. She thought, _He is_ _so_ _gorgeous_. A very pretty girl stood beside him.

"Oy, mate! This is Lily Evans. Lily, this is Pravin Patil and his girlfriend, Rahel Singh."

"Hello," greeted Pravin and Rahel.

Lily murmured, "Hello."

"Catch you later, chum." Pravin and Rahel found two seats near one end of the table.

As more couples stopped by to say hello to Frank, Lily discovered that he was quite popular.

Once everyone was seated, the feast began with sumptuous food materializing before each setting. After everyone finished eating, Dumbledore rose and instructed everyone else to do so as well. He waved his wand; the tables cleared the floor, and a platform with musical instruments atop it appeared at the opposite end of the hall.

"Please welcome, Hex2!"

The members of Hex2 rushed onto the platform. Everyone screamed and clapped. The band began to play its hit song, "A Spellbinding Day." The Head Boy and Girl, with their partners, strolled onto the middle of the floor and started dancing. Very soon, other couples joined them.

"Er, would you like to dance?" Frank said to Lily.

"Sure."

They walked out onto the floor and danced. After dancing to a few more numbers, they took a break to get something to drink. While sipping butterbeer, they watched the other couples on the floor. Hex2 began to play a very catchy tune with an excellent fast beat.

"Come, this is a good one!" Franks rose from his chair, and grabbed Lily by the hand.

They ran out onto the floor and danced as exuberantly as everyone else. Lily was having a great time. Soon the band played a slow number. Lily was glad that Frank danced so well for she did not have to worry about her toes being stepped on. While waltzing with Frank, she spotted Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall dancing. She and Frank laughed when they saw Professors Chloride and Flitwick together. Lily caught Professor Konrad dancing quite closely with Professor Arkayika, who appeared miffed. After the song ended, Frank suggested that they walk outside for some fresh air. Once outside, Lily observed other couples strolling about. A few, however, were in the hedges.

"What do your parents do, Lily?"

"My father is a doctor and my mum is a teacher. Erm, what do your parents do?"

"Well, my father died a few years ago when I was twelve."

"Oh! I'm sorry."

"Thanks. My mother works for the Ministry of Magic."

"Longbottom, just what are you doing with a Mudblood?"

They turned to see Macnair with a beautiful blonde on his arm.

"Who are you calling a Mudblood, Macnair?" threatened Frank.

"Why, that witch next to you. What are you going to do about it, Mudblood-lover?"

Frank whipped out his wand. "You have no right to call her such a filthy name, you pathetic, vile git."

"Is that the best you can do, Longbottom?" Macnair responded while pulling out his wand.

"Walden, forget them. Let's go," the blonde girl said while pulling on Macnair's arm.

Frank's eyes flickered over to the girl next to Macnair.

"Well, well, well, Macnair, what are we doing with Snobbins, eh? Does Malfoy know you are with his witch?"

"Shut up, Longbottom," Macnair replied, menacingly.

"My, my, my, Narcissa Snobbins is two-timing Malfoy with this putrid specimen of a human being. Tell me, Narcissa, what made you decide to go from one piece of human rubbish to another?"

Macnair opened his mouth, meaning to cast a curse on Frank, but before he could do so, Frank yelled, "_Expelliarmus_."

Macnair was thrown backward, pulling Narcissa Snobbins down with him. Frank caught Macnair's wand.

"May I ask what is going on here?" Professor Konrad had arrived on the scene.

Macnair quickly stood, and helped Snobbins to her feet. "Sir, Longbottom insulted Narcissa, and robbed me of my wand! In so doing, he knocked both of us to the ground."

"Now, now, Longbottom, you ought to know that that is unacceptable behaviour. You are a Prefect, correct?"

"Professor, I was only defending Lily. Macnair called her a Mudblood!"

"Be that as it may, it was wrong for you to attack Macnair and Snobbins unprovoked. Return Macnair's wand."

"But, sir!"

"Enough, Longbottom! Return Macnair's wand. _NOW_!"

Frank threw the wand at Macnair.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for your unprovoked aggression, Longbottom. Macnair and Snobbins, you two follow me."

Macnair smirked as he walked past them, and Snobbins coldly glared at them both.

"Expletive," muttered Frank. "Er, sorry. I shouldn't have said that.

"Aye, I'm so angry! It was grossly unfair of Konrad to punish us! He favours the Slytherins, especially the foul ones like Macnair. In fact, it seems as though the more foul they are, the more he likes them. Come; let's go back inside. It's cold out here." He gently took Lily by the hand, and they headed back to the castle.

"Er, thanks for defending me."

Frank turned to her. "You're welcome."

They returned indoors, with Lily reflecting on what just occurred. She was starting to think that Professor Konrad was a very bad wizard.

*******

The day after the Yule Ball, Lily noted a number of girls glaring at her, and whispering amongst themselves as she passed by them. During History of Magic, on the following day, Catherine Indigo and Tamara Green acted chilly towards Lily. She thought, _Really_! _This is becoming ridiculous! What did I do_? Lily vowed to confront Catherine and Tamara after the lesson is over. Once class ended, Lily quickly caught up with them.

"Erm, could I talk to you two?"

Catherine and Tamara glanced at each other. "All right," Tamara responded.

"How come everyone is being so snotty to me?"

"Well, you stole Diana Pheasant's boyfriend," answered Catherine.

"What! Who's Diana? I didn't steal anyone's boyfriend! I don't even _have_ one!"

"Didn't you go to the Yule Ball with Frank Longbottom?" Tamara questioned.

"Yes, but he isn't my boyfriend. He just asked me to go to the Ball with him. That's _all_!"

Catherine sighed. "Diana likes Frank a lot. Jorkins said that Diana spent most of the time crying in a girls' toilet during the Yule Ball because it hurt her so much to see you with Frank."

Lily stared at them with a stricken expression on her face. "Why, how was _I_ supposed to know? He didn't tell me he had a girlfriend!"

"Well, they aren't really boyfriend and girlfriend, yet. She just likes him a whole lot," Tamara stated.

"It's not my fault! I didn't know!"

"We understand now," said Catherine.

"Who _is_ Diana?"

"She's in Ravenclaw with us. She's a fourth year," Tamara replied.

"Oh. Could you tell her that I'm sorry? _Please_ tell her I didn't know, and that she can have Frank, if she wants him."

"All right. I'll tell her," responded Catherine.

"Thanks."

Catherine and Tamara walked off.

*******

On the day before the start of Christmas vacation, Frank Longbottom stopped Lily in a corridor after lessons had ended for the day.

"Erm, can I speak with you for a moment?"

Lily sighed. "All right."

"Let's go in this room in case Jorkins is nearby."

Lily followed him into an empty classroom.

"Erm, I just wanted to apologise to you. I didn't know Diana liked me. I would have asked her to the Yule Ball, but I thought she didn't like me. That's how she acted, as though she didn't like me." He frowned for a moment.

"Anyway, it's all sorted out now. I know that she likes me, so we're going to visit each other during the Christmas holidays. You're not angry with me, are you?"

Lily, trying not to laugh, said, "No."

He appeared relieved. "So, you accept my apology?"

Lily smiled. "Yes."

"Good. Have a Merry Christmas, Lily!" Frank ran up the corridor, and then did a little hop when he reached the end of it.

Lily laughed, and proceeded to follow his steps to the common room alone.

*******

About a month after the Christmas holiday, Lily and Fiona's relationship still had not improved. Fiona spent most of her time with Samantha. Lily spent most of her time with Daisy and Ivy. One day, Lily cornered Samantha to demand why Fiona did not want to be friends with her anymore. Appearing very uncomfortable, Samantha told Lily that she must ask Fiona herself.

Lily was sprawled on her bed, alone in the room, writing a letter to her parents when Fiona stepped in. Fiona froze when she saw Lily, and then turned to leave.

"No! Wait, Fiona! Don't you dare leave!" Lily leapt from her bed, and rushed to the door to prevent Fiona from escaping. Snowball slipped under the bed.

"Let me pass, Lily!"

"NO! Why are you acting this way? I thought we were best friends!" Lily's voice trembled.

"I don't want to talk about it! Now, LET ME PASS!"

"NO! YOU'RE BEING A BRAT, FIONA!"

"I'M NOT!"

"YES, YOU ARE! Why don't you like me anymore, Fiona? I thought we were best friends! What did I do wrong? Please tell me!" Tears rolled down Lily's cheeks.

"All right! You want to know?" There were tears standing in Fiona's eyes. "It's because I feel so dreadfully _ugly_ when I'm with you."

"_What_?"

"You _heard_ me! You, Daisy, and Ivy were asked to the Yule Ball. Samantha and I were left out. We're just two ugly hags no boy would like. Look at all the boys who like you! Some boy even bought you an expensive gift. No boy would do that for Samantha and me! They don't even notice us. We're too ugly for them!"

Lily was stunned speechless. Fiona was jealous of her!

"I'm going," Fiona mumbled.

"No! Please don't go, Fiona!" Lily exclaimed while grabbing Fiona's arm.

"Gerroff me, Lily!"

"NO! And you aren't ugly! I don't know why you even _think_ that way. You aren't ugly, and I'm not just saying that!"

"If I'm not ugly, then how come I see boys looking at _you_ all the time? How come I hear people saying, 'Lily is so pretty with her delicate features and striking green eyes,' and 'Oh, Daisy is so pretty with her gold hair and peaches and cream complexion,' and 'Ivy is so pretty with her long, dark curls, and golden skin?' No one says anything like that about Samantha and me!"

"Fiona, you aren't ugly. It's true! I think you are very pretty!"

"Then how come no one else thinks so?" Fiona walked to her bed, sank onto it, and sobbed.

"All the boys look at you three," she cried. "A fifth year asked you to the Yule Ball. I even caught a few of the younger professors, like Konrad, sneaking peeks at you, Ivy, and Daisy."

Lily grimaced upon hearing the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor's name. She sat down next to Fiona, and sighed.

"I don't know why they don't notice you, Fi. Maybe you're like the rose and we're like orchids, the showy flowers. They don't see the rose because the showy orchids are in the way. One day, they will find a rose behind the orchids, and ask themselves how come they never noticed that beautiful rose before. You are the rose, Fi. You're beautiful."

Fiona put her arms around Lily and hugged her tight. "Lily, you're the best friend anyone could have in this entire world," she bawled. "I'm sorry that I was so rotten to you. I hope we stay best friends forever."

*******

In early March, during breakfast, a package arrived for Lily. Lily opened it, and found a framed painting of a green, rolling countryside dotted with trees and bisected by a clear stream. Two unicorns ambled onto the scene and began drinking water from the brook. Lily exclaimed in surprise.

"Did your parents send you that?" Fiona said with her mouth full.

"No."

Fiona frowned, and swallowed. "Then who did?"

"I don't know."

"D'you think it's from the same person who sent the enchanted glass?"

"Yes."

Lily gazed at the scene in the painting with a dreamy, peaceful expression on her face. She felt herself being drawn into it when suddenly someone yanked on the back of her robe.

"You don't want to do that," Virgil laughed. "At least not here."

"Why? What kind of painting is it?"

"It's a Pacifera. When you're stressed or feeling unhappy, just gaze into the painting and you will end up right in it."

"What? You mean I'll be sucked right into the painting?" Lily said, incredulously.

Virgil laughed. "Yes, something like that. So, you don't want to do it here. Wait until you are in your room. Did your parents buy that for you?"

"No."

"Oh. Then who did?"

"I don't know."

"Lily, did you receive another mystery gift?" Sasha inquired.

"Yes, she did," answered Fiona.

"What is it?" said Craig.

"A Pacifera Painting," Virgil responded.

Craig whistled. "Those are _expensive_. Blimey, Lily, some boy must really love you to spend so much money. And you have no idea who it is?"

"No."

"We must figure out who it is, Lily," Fiona whispered. "I'll ask Mum to give us a list of the richest wizarding families. She wrote an article on prominent wizarding families awhile back for _Witch Weekly_."

"That...."

She never completed her thought for at that moment the Great Hall was blasted by a Howler sent to James.

*******

About a week later, during breakfast, Capricorn landed in front of Fiona with a rolled piece of parchment tied to his leg. Fiona removed the parchment and gave Capricorn some bacon. The owl hooted softly in appreciation.

"Here it is! Mum sent the list."

Lily peered over Fiona's shoulders, and read the following names: Malfoy, Dumbledore, Crouch, Longbottom, Skower, Konrad, Figg, Ollivander, Patil, Snobbins, Bott, and Rookwood.

"Erm, it doesn't help," Lily said, feeling a bit disappointed.

"Yes, it does. There's Longbottom, Dumbledore, and Konrad on the list."

"So? Longbottom is dating Diana Pheasant. Remember? They like each other very much. Dumbledore wouldn't have sent me those gifts, and neither would Konrad. That would be really weird."

"How about Malfoy or Patil?"

"Lucius Malfoy _hates_ me!" Lily exclaimed. "Besides, I think he's seeing Snobbins."

"Oh, yeah. How about Patil?"

"He's awfully gorgeous, but he's dating Singh."

"Erm, I guess we'll have to think about this some more." Fiona glanced at her watch. "We better go or else we'll be late for Muggle Studies."

Later that day, Fiona came up with a proposal. "I have an idea," Fiona whispered while they were in the library.

"What is it?"

"For the next three weeks, I'll pay attention to the boys in our lessons. I'll write down the names of the boys who stare at you the most. It would have to be one of them."

"That should work."

*******

In mid-April, after lessons ended for the day and just before supper, Lily and Fiona walked over to near the edge of the lake and sat down.

"I have the list of boys who stare at you the most." Fiona waved the parchment in front of Lily.

"Let's see it."

Fiona placed the parchment on the ground in front of them. Lily read the following names: Oliver Arbuckle, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Severus Snape, Boris Henchman, Toby Brentwood, Wilhelm Konrad, and Argus Filch.

"Konrad? _FILCH_?"

Fiona giggled. "I just threw those in for fun."

"The question is, Fi, which of these boys are rich enough to send me those gifts? None of their names were on your mum's list!"

"Perhaps the boy who sent them is a thief."

"Noooo!"

Fiona laughed. "You never know!"

Lily sighed. "Well, it must be one of them. D'you think it's James?"

"Erm, he does seem to like you, but do you think he would be secretive about it? He's so _wild_! It just doesn't seem like that would be his style. I'm sure he would come right out and tell you if he loved you, eh?"

"Yes, I think so," she murmured while reminiscing of the day James kissed her in an empty classroom.

"We better go. Supper will be served shortly."

They stood, and headed back toward the castle.

*******

One day, in early May, James did not show up for breakfast or History of Magic. Lily and Fiona asked Peter if he knew anything about his whereabouts. Peter sadly informed them that his mother died, and that he had left for home during the night. Lily and Fiona gasped upon hearing the news. The next morning, courtesy of Jorkins, the students find out that Lord Voldemort was responsible for the death of James' mother. Lily and Fiona managed to obtain a copy of the_ Daily Prophet_ from Craig.

> > _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Kills 13 at Bones' Residence_
>> 
>> _by Rita Skeeter, Intern_
>> 
>> _Once again, You-Know-Who has struck with a savage vengeance. Last night, the Ministry of Magic received several reports of the Dark Mark hovering over the Bones' home. The Ministry quickly dispatched officials onto the scene. When they arrived, according to Liam McKinnon, a very handsome and unhappily married man, they discovered the bodies of thirteen people in the home. Apparently, the Bones were hosting their monthly gathering of friends for supper when all were killed. Thankfully, the Bones' four children were unharmed. The youngest three were found hiding beneath an Invisibility Cloak in one of the children's rooms. Sydney Bones, age nine, recounted what happened._
>> 
>> "_I was in my room playing Owl Flight with Anna. Then we heard screaming and loud voices. I told Anna to stay. I went and peeked out, and saw a bunch of wizards in black with their wands out. They were pointing them at my mum and dad, and their friends. Then this wizard started laughing, and I got scared. He said a spell, and I saw a flash of green light. I ran to my room and grabbed my cloak, and told Anna to come with me. We ran into Teddy's room, and climbed into his crib. Then I put my cloak over us. I was scared, and Anna started to cry, so I told her to be real quiet. Then a wizard with a mask came into the room, and then he left."_
>> 
>> _McKinnon forbade me to question the child further for he was in shock. Sydney was then rushed to an undisclosed and guarded room at Ste. Ayla's Magical Children's' Hospital. The Bones' surviving children will likely be placed with relatives._
>> 
>> _Michael Bones, the eldest, is a fourth year student at Hogwarts. Michael along with James Potter and Sharon Windows were notified of their parents' deaths, and have since returned home from Hogwarts._
>> 
>> _The list of those murdered by You-Know-Who and his supporters, known as Death Eaters, were Stephen and Jacqueline Bones, Terrence and Barbara Windows, Elizabeth Potter, Marissa Stingray, Joseph and Edith Moonbeam, Lilac Tapestand, Gregory Peters, Vincent and Wednesday Morse, and Helen Atlas._
>> 
>> _When will the killings cease? What is the Ministry of Magic doing to stop You-Know-Who?_

"My dad is _not_ unhappily married," Fiona shouted, indignantly.

"What's a Dark Mark?" said Lily.

"I don't know," responded Fiona.

After lessons ended for the day, Lily created a large and colourful sympathy card for James. On the following day, with Fiona's assistance, she circulated the card, and requested that everyone sign it. Getting the Slytherins to cooperate proved to be a challenge. Inga Erstwhilst, Tara Yolke, and Azusa Kernville absolutely refused to sign the card. After Lily finally convinced Boris Henchman and Tabitha Furnace to sign it, she walked over to Severus Snape, Evan Rosier, and Damien Wilkes.

"Erm, will you sign this card? It's for James."

"No," Rosier immediately responded.

Annoyed, Lily snapped, "Why?"

"Because we don't want anything to do with that spoiled, four-eyed git," replied Wilkes.

Lily glared at him with clenched teeth. "_His mum was killed_."

Rosier snorted. "So? It's not our fault Potter's mum came to sticky end."

"You're an awful, rotten, _foul_, unfeeling person, Rosier!"

He stared at her coldly. "If I were you, _Evans_, I would watch what I say."

"You don't scare me." She gazed at him with utmost contempt, and then asked Severus to please sign the card.

Severus gazed over her head with a chilly look in his piercing, black eyes, and his lips thinned. He took the quill from her, mumbled under his breath, "Only for you, Lily," and scribbled his name on the card. Then he, Rosier, and Wilkes walked away.

***** **

James, Michael Bones, and Sharon Windows, both of Hufflepuff, returned to school just prior to the end of the year exams. Lily and the rest of her classmates noticed that James was very subdued and often appeared sad. Lily felt terrible for him, and tried to imagine what it would be like if she lost her mother. One night, after some last minute studying in the library, Lily, on her way to the common room, happened to see James walking dispiritedly in a corridor. Quickly, she caught up with him.

"I'm so _terribly_ sorry about your mum."

"Thanks," he sadly responded.

Lily observed tears in his eyes. Impulsively, she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. James broke down and cried while holding onto her as though he were clinging to a raft on a stormy sea.

**---------**

_**Note: **It didn't actually say in  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire that Yule Balls were only held in conjunction with Triwizard Tournaments, so I thought I would have a Yule Ball for this story. Romantic, eh? ^_~_


	17. Disquiet

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XVII: _Disquiet_**

Lily, aged fourteen, was lounging comfortably on her window seat reading Primitive Charms and Hexes of the Stone Age for her Charms assignment when she heard a tap at the window. She glanced up and saw a hawk owl outside. Quickly, she opened the window. The owl swooped in and landed on her bed. Snowball meowed at it.

"Well, hullo." She had never seen this one before. The owl stuck out its leg, and Lily removed the rolled parchment attached to it.

"Are you thirsty?" The owl hooted.

"All right. I'll be back."

Lily ran downstairs to the kitchen, and grabbed a bowl from the cupboard. She began filling it with water.

"Did you let another one of those foul creatures into our home?" snapped Petunia.

Lily glanced at her disdainfully, and mumbled, "Oh shut up, Petunia." Petunia had been grating on her nerves since she arrived home for the summer holidays.

"Why don't you make me, Miss Thinks She's So Special?"

"_Wingardium Leviosa_!"

Petunia ran from the room with a frightened look on her face.

Lily walked upstairs chuckling to herself.

"Here you go." She placed the bowl of water on her desk.

The owl flew over, and started drinking the water. When it was finished, it nipped her affectionately on the cheek, and then swooped out the window. Lily sat down on her bed, and unrolled the parchment.

> > _Dear Lily,_
>> 
>> _How are you? My dad and I are fine, but we miss Mum terribly. I wish she were still here. Thank you for the card and everything else. I don't remember if I ever thanked you or not. Sirius said that you put the card together, and had everyone sign it. That was very kind of you. My dad and I both liked it._
>> 
>> _When are you going shopping for your school things? Sirius, Remus, Peter, and I are going to meet in Diagon Alley on the 16th of August. Why don't you meet us there? Tell Fiona, too. Let me know if you can meet us._
>> 
>> _Bye._
>> 
>> _James_

She looked up at her calendar, hanging just below the Pacifera Painting. The 16th of August was only a fortnight away. Lily walked to her desk, sat down, and grabbed some parchment and a quill.

> > _Dear James,_
>> 
>> _Hello. I'm fine. Right now I'm working on my Charms assignment. Have you finished yours, yet? The chapter about how the charms backfired was funny! I'm glad that you and your father are well, and that you two liked my card._
>> 
>> _Yes, I'm sure that Fiona and I can meet you four at Diagon Alley on the 16th. Will see you soon!_
>> 
>> _Lily_

After she sealed it, she wrote a quick note to Fiona. Lily then picked up her wand, opened the window, and said, "_Charta Aerius_." About fifteen minutes later, an owl flew into her room. She attached the letter to the owl's leg, and placed seven Sickles in a pouch on its other leg.

"When you deliver that one, come back here, all right? I have another one for you."

The owl hooted, and swooped out the window.

Nearly five hours later, the owl returned, and Lily placed the note to Fiona on its leg.

*******

On the 16th of August, Lily and her parents drove to Windermere. When they arrived, Liam, appearing vastly uncomfortable, told Wesley and Zinnia that it would be best for them to stay away from Diagon Alley.

"Why?" Wesley became irritated. "We've been going there since my daughter started Hogwarts!"

"Erm, I'm afraid that the climate has changed."

"What do you mean?" Zinnia said.

"It's no longer safe for you to visit," replied Kendra.

"What is that supposed to mean? Just spit out! Go on!" Wesley angrily stated.

"All right. To put it bluntly: it is no longer safe for Muggles to be seen in Diagon Alley," responded Liam.

"Why? Would someone try to harm us?" said Zinnia worriedly.

"Yes, I'm afraid. Unfortunately, far too many of our kind have become quite open in expressing their hostilities against Muggles."

"What about Lily? Will she be safe?" Wesley inquired, thinking of the incident that occurred last year with a wizard named Mulciber.

"She will be fine as long as she is with us."

Wesley and Zinnia briefly stared at one another.

"All right. We will leave, but please do me a favour and return our daughter to us alive and well." Wesley turned to Lily. "'Bye, love. Stay close to the McKinnons, understand?"

"I will. 'Bye, Dad." He and Zinnia kissed her on the forehead.

"'Bye, sweetums. Mind Liam and Kendra."

"I will. 'Bye, Mum."

Wesley and Zinnia hopped into the car and drove off with Lily waving at them. Then she went back indoors.

"All right, we want to be home before dark. Fiona, please tell Craig and Sasha that we are ready to go."

About a minute later, Craig and Sasha appeared in the room.

"Hi, Lily," they greeted her.

Kendra removed an elaborate vase from the fireplace mantle, reached in, and threw some powder into the flames. Lily was not exactly thrilled with the prospect of travelling by Floo powder again. It was definitely not her favourite way to travel. One by one, with Liam leading, they entered the flames and shouted, "Diagon Alley." Once they all arrived at Diagon Alley and dusted themselves off, Lily and Fiona began looking for James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.

"Girls, don't stray too far. I want you both to remain within our sight," Liam sternly told them.

"Okay, Dad."

"Lily! Lily, over here!"

Lily and Fiona spotted James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter standing outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. They jogged over to join them with Liam, Kendra, Craig, and Sasha in tow.

"Hello!" Lily and Fiona greeted the boys.

"Hi!"

"Look what my dad just bought me." James opened a box, and pulled out a new broom.

"Wow! That's crackin'!" Lily admired the broom's workmanship.

"It's a Nimbus 1500, and they just came out. It's the top of the line as far as racing brooms go."

"Mum, Dad, please buy me one. _Pleeeaaaase_?" Fiona begged.

"Honey, I'm afraid that it is a little too expensive," responded Kendra.

Fiona's face turned scarlet. She whispered with teeth clenched together, "Mum, how could you embarrass me in front of my friends?"

"Oh, don't be silly, Fiona. There's nothing to be ashamed of. We simply can't afford it."

Fiona's mouth dropped open, and she stalked a little ways off. A moment later, they all heard her scream.

The boys snickered. Lily thought, _That is so embarrassing. If my mum did that to me, I probably wouldn't speak to her for a week!_

"Erm, Lily, would you like to give it a try?" James startled her from her thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"Would you like to give my broom a try?"

"Oh! Sure. Thanks!" She smiled at him, and took the broom.

Lily climbed on and kicked off. Immediately, she noticed a difference between the Nimbus 1500 and her Nimbus 1001. Its acceleration rate was faster and it had a smoother climb. Lily swooped back down to the group.

"It's really nice, James, and it flies so well!"

"Thanks!" He grinned.

"Now that you have a faster broom than Miss Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum, why don't you become the Seeker, too?" Sirius said with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

Fiona had returned just in time to catch Sirius' remark. She glared at him, and acidly said, "Stop _calling_ me that."

Sirius arranged his face into an innocent expression. "Stop calling you what?"

"You know very well what I'm talking about, Sirius!"

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do!"

"I'm afraid that I don't."

"Come on, quit it, you two," James ordered.

Fiona rolled her eyes at Sirius. As soon as she turned, he made a gruesome face behind her back. Remus and Peter laughed.

Fiona whipped around and said, "WHAT?"

"Nothing. No one said anything," replied Sirius.

"Come on. Cut it out," Lily said.

About five meters away, Lily watched the McKinnons talk to Mr. Potter and a couple she had not met before. Craig and Sasha were speaking with some of their friends.

"We better start getting our school things. Your parents want to return home before dark," Lily told Fiona.

"Okay, let me go get them." Fiona ran up to her parents to get their attention. Liam, Kendra, and Fiona went over to Lily.

"Why don't we start at Flourish and Blotts?" Kendra suggested.

"Craig! Sasha!"

"Yeah, Dad?" Craig replied.

"Let's go!"

"Erm, could you and Fiona meet us back here when you two are done?" James said to Lily.

"Sure. 'Bye!" She waved at James and the rest of the boys as she, the McKinnons, and Sasha started walking towards Flourish and Blotts.

Sasha smiled down at Lily, and placed an arm around her shoulders. She bent toward Lily, and whispered in her ear, "I think James really likes you."

Heat flooded Lily's face.

After they finished shopping for their school supplies and dress robes, they returned to Quality Quidditch Supplies where they met James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Mr. Potter, and the couple seen earlier. Upon closer inspection, Lily observed that the lady and Remus favoured one another.

"I don't think we have all met," Liam stated. "Craig, Fiona, Sasha, and Lily this is Edward Potter, and Bernard and Josefina Lupin."

They exchanged pleasantries.

"Lily and I had the pleasure of meeting each other last year, didn't we?" said Edward.

Lily shook her head.

"Why don't we all get a quick bite to eat at the Witches Brew Cafe in Strawbroom Alley?" suggested Josefina Lupin.

"Sounds like an excellent idea!" concurred Kendra.

The group slowly strolled in the direction of Strawbroom Alley.

"Erm, which lessons are you two taking this year? We're taking Divination again and Arithmancy," Peter said.

"We decided to drop Muggle Studies, and take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. So, we'll be in Arithmancy together," Fiona replied.

"I'm glad that we have Duelling this year," added Remus.

"Aye, me, too. I hope we have lessons with the Slytherins. I would love take on those slimy gits: Snape, Rosier, Avery, and Wilkes, especially that bloody, greasy-headed Snape," Sirius said with a malicious glint in his eyes.

"I would like to see Snape writhing on the floor in pain, the ugly git. It would teach him not to sneak around trying to get us in trouble," agreed James.

"He tries to get you into trouble?" Lily said.

"Yes! All the time!" exclaimed Peter.

"Why?"

"Because he's Snape, a foul, big-nosed, greasy slimeball," Sirius answered.

"I think Snape likes Lily," mentioned Fiona.

"Fiona!" Lily rounded on her.

The boys stared at Lily with horror.

"You don't like him, do you?" James inquired with a mingled horrified and hopeful expression on his face.

"No!"

He appeared relieved. "Good. You don't want to be with someone like him."

They entered the cafe, and found a table large enough to seat their entire group. A witch wearing a large pointy hat with a stuffed dwarf owl atop it came by to take their orders. A few minutes later, she and another witch, dressed similarly, appeared with their food, and they began eating without conversation.

Edward broke the silence. "I see that the Ministry is having a very difficult time keeping things from Muggles."

Liam swallowed and wiped his mouth. "Yes, that's true. The way things have been going lately, it's difficult for certain activities _not_ to escape Muggles. The Counter Muggle Intelligence Department is doing all that it can to cover things up by modifying memories and such, but it has been quite a challenge. Some incidents have been aired on those boxed gadgets Muggles use for their news source."

Fiona rolled her eyes. "Televisions, Dad."

"What was that, love?"

"They are called _televisions_, not boxed gadgets. We learned about them in Muggle Studies."

"Televisions, eh? Interesting."

Lily smiled to herself, and thought that Muggle Studies should be a requirement for all Hogwarts students.

About thirty minutes later, they rose from the table to depart for home. As the sun's top rim began sinking below the western horizon, they stepped outside the cafe and exchanged farewells. Without warning, fifty tall figures dressed in black cloaks and hoods that hid their faces materialized before them, and then encircled their group.

Lily fearfully wondered what was happening as an icy chill started to creep into her bones. A grey cloud began to obscure her vision at the same time she started shaking uncontrollably from the frost that invaded her. She felt someone grab and hold onto her hand. Blind, she could not see. Deathly cold, she wished for the sun's warmth. Rushing sounds filled her ears. A voice full of hate, "_You are going to scream, you little Mudblood. I'll see to that_." Lily moaned, "Noooo," as consciousness started to fade away. Falling. Distantly, "_Expecto Patronum_." A voice dripping with evil, "_Crucio!_" Then all was dark for a while.

*******

Voices.

"Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum."

"Stop _calling_ me that."

"Sirius, leave her alone. You're going to make her cry."

"I'm _not_ going to cry."

"Do any of you know how we got here?"

"No."

Lily slowly opened her eyes. She blinked, and everything swam into focus. A clock was on the wall facing her with the hand three-quarters of the way between an image of a sleeping child and a child who was being given medicine. Lily turned her head slightly to her left and saw James staring at her from the bed next to hers.

"James, where are we? How did we get here?"

"We're in a hospital. I don't know how we got here. Perhaps our parents brought us."

"You two are awake. Finally!" Sirius exclaimed, a bit groggily.

Lily tried to sit up, but she felt so ill and weak that she sank back onto the bed.

"Lily, I was wondering when you would wake up," remarked Fiona in the bed to her right.

A short woman with a bunch of frizzy, bright red curls atop her head, and wearing a red and white robe, entered the room. "I see that you all are awake, now. Good. By the way, I'm Madam Medicina. I am in charge of this wing." She handed each of them a large chunk of chocolate.

"Now, you must eat all of this. It will make you feel better. Go ahead, and eat it up."

Lily began eating the chocolate, and very soon warmth started to spread throughout her limbs. She continued to eat the chocolate, and felt better.

"Good, lads and lasses! All done? Here have another piece." She broke off more huge chunks, and gave each of them one.

Lily nibbled on her chocolate.

"Come, lads and lasses, you must eat it all up. It will make you feel better."

Lily thought that she was probably going to feel worse if she ate any more chocolate.

Just then, Liam, Kendra, Craig, Sasha, Edward Potter, and the Lupins walked into the room.

Lily and the rest immediately bombarded them with questions.

"Hold on! One at a time," Liam ordered.

"Dad, how did we get here?" Fiona said.

"Edward, Bernard, and I brought you here. We each grabbed one of you and apparated here while your mother, Josefina, Craig, and Sasha waited with the three of you who remained behind. Then Edward, Bernard, and I returned to pick up the rest of you, and apparated back here along with your mother and Josefina. Craig and Sasha arrived here via Portkey."

"Where's here, Mr. McKinnon?" inquired Peter.

"You are in Ste. Ayla's, where the six of you will remain overnight."

"What exactly happened?" James said. "Everything seems a bit hazy."

"Several hundred dementors apparated in Diagon Alley," answered Edward.

"But, why? I thought they guarded Azkaban. What were they doing in Diagon Alley?" Lily said with a puzzled expression on her face.

The adults furtively glanced at each other while Craig and Sasha gazed at the floor.

Edward gently took James' hand and held it while appearing to think carefully. Quietly, he replied, "They were led there by Lord Voldemort. He was in Diagon Alley."

They all gasped, and Lily's heart sped up.

"He didn't, erm, kill anyone, did he?" Sirius said.

"Now, now they have all had enough excitement for one day! They need rest. I'm going to have to ask all of you to leave. Visiting hours is over." Madam Medicina commenced to bustle them out the door.

"We'll discuss this later," stated Edward as he was being rushed out the door.

"Lily, I sent an owl to your parents to let them know where you are and that you are fine," Kendra said as Madam Medicina pushed her out the door.

"Sirius and Peter, I contacted your parents, also," informed Josefina Lupin as Madam Medicina began shouting, "Out! Out!"

"We'll see you in the morning," Liam yelled.

"OUT!"

A few minutes later, Madam Medicina returned with an armload of clothing. "Here. Put these on." She handed each of them a pair a pyjamas, and then closed the curtains around each of their beds.

As Lily was changing into her pyjamas, she overheard James mutter, "He killed someone. I _know_ he did. Just like my mum, the expletive. I _hate_ him."

Lily turned aside her curtains, rose from the bed, and stood outside James' curtain enclosed bed. "James?" she whispered. "James, are you all right?" She stood there for a moment wrestling with indecision. Finally, she pulled back the curtains, and saw him sitting up and wiping his eyes.

"James?"

"I'm all right," he replied in a low hoarse voice.

"Okay. Goodnight," she said, sorrowfully.

"'Night, Lily," he whispered.

*******

The next day, after breakfast, they left for home, with Lily returning to the McKinnons. Once they arrived at the McKinnons, Liam asked everyone to remain in the living room.

He gravely gazed at the small, assembled group. Lily and Fiona stared at him with a questioning expression on their faces. Craig and Sasha were seated close together, and holding hands.

Liam cleared his throat. "As Edward stated last night, several hundred dementors, led by You-Know-Who, apparated into Diagon Alley. From Diagon Alley, smaller groups of dementors broke off and apparated to various secondary alleys. One of the alleys happened to be the one we were in. When they surrounded us, they immediately began to have an overwhelming negative effect on each of us. While you, Fiona and Lily, and your friends were succumbing to them, the rest of us were summoning a Patronus Charm that acts to deflect and drive away the dementors. We succeeded, thank God! Then we immediately began dispatching the six of you to Ste. Ayla's."

He stopped for a moment. "What I am about to say next is difficult." He cleared his throat again. "While the dementors were in Diagon Alley, they were administering the Kiss."

Lily and Fiona gasped.

Liam sorrowfully continued. "I regret to say that six of those who received the Kiss were children, all students of Hogwarts."

Lily and Fiona stared at him with horror.

"But, Mr. McKinnon, what does that mean? Are they dead?" Lily said in a trembling voice.

An expression of mingled anger and disgust passed fleetingly across Liam's face.

"Honey, they aren't dead. Perhaps it would be better if they were. The dementors took their souls. Now, they are just empty beings," Kendra responded, sadly.

Tears welled up in Lily's eyes.

"They were taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries where they will remain forever until they pass," Liam gently added.

"_Why_, Dad? Why did he do it?" Fiona cried.

"Because he's an evil, vile expletive!" Craig answered, angrily.

"Who were the students?" inquired Sasha quietly.

"Oh dear, I don't have the list of names with me. Their ages ranged from eleven to seventeen years. Perhaps you know a few of them."

"But why is You-Know-Who killing people?" Fiona wiped her eyes.

"Dear, you can't ask your father to fathom the logic behind an abysmally evil wizard's behaviour." Kendra gently stroked Fiona's hair.

"Your mother is right. I do not know why he is doing these horrific things. What I want all four of you to know is that from now on you must be very careful. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is trying to gain as many followers as possible. We also know that he loathes Muggles. Lily, this is the reason your parents would be unsafe at Diagon Alley or any place in our world. They absolutely _cannot_ visit our world until this passes.

"For your information, the supporters of You-Know-Who are known as Death Eaters. They are just as evil and cold as the one they serve. For the past three years, their numbers have been growing alarmingly. Don't be surprised to find a few in Hogwarts. Of course, they will not make it known who they are. Death Eaters are known to torture and kill Muggles, and anyone who opposes them and the one they serve. They are the ones responsible for the Dark Mark, always seen hovering above locations where there have been murders."

"What's a Dark Mark?" Lily inquired.

"It's a large, green image of a grinning skull with a snake in its mouth," answered Craig.

"That is correct. Most important, it is associated with You-Know-Who. It is one of his symbols, and only Death Eaters know how to summon it," Liam stated. He then glanced at his watch.

"Lily, I must take you home. I promised your parents I would get you there by 3 o'clock."

"Can I ask another question?" said Lily.

"Yes. What is it?"

"What does he, erm, You-Know-Who, look like?"

Liam and Kendra glanced at each other.

"He has very pale skin, red reptilian eyes, slits for his nose, and a lipless mouth. Come, we must leave now." Liam beckoned her to follow him.

His description sent shivers down Lily's spine for it sounded remarkably like the face that had tormented her in old nightmares!

*******

On the Hogwarts Express, about two weeks later, Lily and Fiona found an empty compartment to sit in. Daisy and a boy and girl of about eleven years old entered their compartment.

"Hi!" Daisy exclaimed.

"Hello!" responded Lily and Fiona.

"Lily, Fiona, this is my brother, Elijah and sister, Thora. Thora, Elijah, this is Fiona and Lily."

They exchanged pleasantries. Elijah and Thora favoured Daisy in complexion, and hair and eye colour, although Thora's hair was straight instead of in ringlets like Daisy's. Elijah had a mop of curls and a dimple in his left cheek.

"Ivy and I are sharing a compartment in the back. Well, we better go. 'Bye." They left the compartment.

In a few minutes, the train would depart the station for Hogwarts. Lily and Fiona sat next to the windows, with Fiona sitting across from Lily. Lily thought that Fiona was becoming prettier every year. Fiona had her hair cut so that it was no longer waist length, but half way down her back. She also had a fringe that partially covered her forehead.

The compartment door slid open, and Severus Snape, Evan Rosier, and two unfamiliar boys, who appeared fifteen or sixteen years old, stepped in.

"Erm, this compartment is already taken," Fiona announced.

They ignored her, and proceeded to sit down. Rosier took the seat next to Fiona, and Severus sat next to Lily. Something about the other boys reminded Lily of Dolohov and Malfoy, and she started to feel uncomfortable.

"Erm, it's too crowded in here," stated Fiona.

The train began pulling away from the station, and to gather speed.

"You're free to go, McKinnon," Severus replied.

"Shut up, Snape," Fiona retorted acidly while glowering at him.

"You're going to let a witch talk to you like that, Severus? If it were me, I would have slapped her," the boy sitting next to Severus said.

Fiona glared at the boy.

"You better stop looking at me like that witch or I'll pluck those big, blue eyes right out of your head," he sneered.

"Just ignore her, Bailey," replied Severus.

"Oy! You, the quiet redhead, what's your name?" the boy sitting next to Rosier said in a slightly demanding tone.

"Her name is Lily," responded Severus.

"Lily, I'm Jules Nott, and over there is my best chum, Bailey Gothic."

"Hello," Lily muttered.

Rosier leaned back in his seat, yawned exaggeratedly, and in one swift movement threw his arms back with one coming to rest around Fiona's shoulders.

"GERROFF ME!" Fiona hit him in the stomach with her fist.

In a blink of an eye, Gothic leapt from his seat and placed his hand around Fiona's throat. Lily jumped up while whipping her wand out.

She pointed her wand at Gothic. "_Let her go_!"

"Bailey, leave her alone. She's not worth it," Severus lazily ordered.

Gothic let go of Fiona's neck. He glared at Lily, who returned it. "You can put away that wand of yours, witch," he snarled. Gothic then plopped down next to Severus.

Lily slowly sat down, and observed that Fiona appeared very angry.

"That's the problem with some of the witches around here. They don't know what's good for them," asserted Nott.

"Aye, and some of them should be honoured that they are getting attention," Rosier sneered while staring intently at Fiona. Fiona ignored him.

Lily thought that this was going to be one long ride, and stared out the window at the passing scenery.

A few hours later, with very little conversation having taken place between Lily and Fiona, Snowball began to meow.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry! I forgot all about you," Lily crooned to Snowball as she leaned over to unsnap his carrier.

Severus gently tugged on the braid hanging down Lily's back. "What's your cat's name?"

Holding Snowball in her arms, Lily sat back up. "Snowball."

Severus reached out and stroked Snowball.

"Severus, how come you didn't join the club? Evan did," said Nott.

"You should have joined, Severus. Your talent would be very welcomed and needed. Our leader would make you a star," Gothic stated.

"I'm not ready," replied Severus still stroking Snowball.

Rosier snorted. "Not ready? You're more ready than Damien, Inga, Veleno, and Sax, and they joined."

"Maybe next summer."

"Why wait until then? Join during the Christmas holidays," Nott insisted.

"Are you worried about the initiation? It isn't _too_ terrible, and it's over with quickly," said Rosier.

Lily and Fiona glanced at each other with a "what kind of club are they talking about?" expression on their faces.

"Think about it, Severus. Membership has its privileges. Don't wait too long to join or some will begin to wonder about you," replied Gothic with a slight warning tone in his voice.

A few hours later, in the deepening gloom, they arrived at Hogwarts.


	18. Uncertain Beginnings

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XVIII: _Uncertain Beginnings_**

While the Sorting Ceremony was being carried out, Lily and Fiona engaged in an animated discussion about Snape, Rosier, Nott, and Gothic.

"CRAVEN, ELIJAH."

"Oh, Fi, it's Daisy's brother! Let's see which house he's sorted into."

"GRYFFINDOR."

Lily, Fiona, and the rest of the Gryffindors applauded loudly.

"CRAVEN, THORA."

About a minute later, the Sorting hat yelled, "RAVENCLAW."

After Thora took her seat at the table across from the Gryffindors, she and Elijah waved at each other. Shortly afterwards, Elijah decided to make gruesome faces at the older boys sitting directly across from him. He eventually attracted the attention of James and Sirius. James and Sirius furtively glanced around, and then bowed their heads. When they looked up, their faces were totally devoid of any features aside from a pair of large, lurid, orange eyes. Lily and Fiona gasped.

"AAAAAARGGGHHHHH." Elijah clapped his hands over his eyes.

Silence befell the Great Hall.

"Who screamed?" inquired Professor McGonagall with annoyance.

Daisy reluctantly stood. "Erm, it was my brother. He, erm, sat on a pin."

Several students laughed.

"Let's continue the sorting, and, _please_, no more outbursts."

Daisy hit Elijah.

"Ow! What did you do that for, Daisy?"

"You _humiliated_ me in front of the _entire_ school!" Daisy hissed.

"But those two boys over there scared the _crap_ out of me."

"So? That should teach you not to make horrible faces at people!"

Lily and Fiona resumed their speculation about Snape, Rosier, Nott, and Gothic.

"MADLEY, JOHN."

"Fi, this just occurred to me."

"What?"

"HUFFLEPUFF."

"Is it possible that they were talking about becoming Death Eaters?"

Fiona frowned in thought. "Yes, it's possible, but would they talk about it so openly?"

"But they weren't talking about it openly, really, because they never mentioned You-Know-Who, Death Eaters, or anything."

"If they _were_ talking about it, that would make Rosier, Wilkes, Erstwhilst, and that awful Nott and Gothic Death Eaters along with those other people they were talking about, Sax or somebody."

"It would _also_ mean, Fi, that Severus is _thinking_ about becoming a Death Eater."

"He would make a good one with his long, greasy hair and generally foul appearance."

On that note, Lily and Fiona turned to listen to the rest of the Sorting Ceremony.

After the sorting, Professor Dumbledore rose. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!"

The Great Hall rang with applause.

"Now on to business: Quidditch tryouts will occur during the second week of the term. If you are interested in becoming a member of your house Quidditch team, see Madam Hooch.

"A reminder: the Forbidden Forest and the Whomping Willow are off limits. Off limits meaning that they are forbidden. Disobey, and we may never see you again or we may see you in the hospital wing in the case of the Whomping Willow."

Professor Dumbledore's expression became grave. "For those who have not been informed, a few weeks ago, Lord Voldemort..."

A few students screamed upon hearing the name.

Professor Dumbledore resumed. "Lord Voldemort led several hundred dementors to Diagon Alley. From the apparation point, they broke off into splinter groups to apparate into secondary alleys. The dementors were led there to administer the Kiss to the innocent."

An expression of mingled sorrow and disgust appeared on Professor Dumbledore's face.

"The Kiss was administered to thirty-three people, six of whom were children. All six of those children were students of Hogwarts. The six students were Serena Moon of Gryffindor, Aidan McConnell of Ravenclaw, Dahlia Mackey of Slytherin, Paul Switches of Hufflepuff, Isaac Towson of Hufflepuff, and Jeffrey Danes of Gryffindor. They will spend the rest of their lives in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

"Let us take a moment to remember those whose souls were stolen from them."

After a few minutes, Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I have one last announcement before we partake of the feast.

"Twenty-three students were suspended for the first two weeks of the term for improper use of magic. I have warned you that magic is not to be used outside of school unless it is for defence or for practicing lessons. The Ministry of Magic's manpower is overtaxed with handling the present crises. The hospitals have been more crowded than usual due to serious injuries at the hands of Lord Voldemort. I will remind you now and at the end of the term: _no magic is to be done outside of school except for defence and practicing lessons_.

"Odyssey! Lancelot! Zeus! Sherbet!"

*******

About a month had passed since the start of the term. Surprisingly, Severus Snape joined the Slytherin Quidditch Team as a Beater.

Most students actively disliked Defence Against the Dark Arts for Professor Konrad had instituted a new policy. His new policy stated that all assignments and exams would not only be checked for correct answers, but would also be checked for grammar, cleanliness, spelling, and punctuation. To worsen matters, his new policy stated that all exams would have a thirty-minute time limit. Any questions that were left unanswered would be marked as incorrect. On the first exam, no student received a grade higher than average, with many failing.

The Gryffindors had Potions with the Slytherins, and the first thing they discovered was that Professor Chloride favoured Snape. Instead of calling him "monkey" as the rest of the students, she referred to him as "pet," and treated him like a show pupil. The students grudgingly acknowledged that Severus Snape was the best when it came to Potions.

All of the fourth years had Duelling lessons together, taught by Professors Flitwick and McGonagall, on Wednesdays. Each student was paired up with someone who did not share the same house. So far, Lily duelled with Raina Ridgecrest of Hufflepuff, Catherine Indigo of Ravenclaw, and Boris Henchman of Slytherin.

By far, Lily and Fiona's favourite new lessons were Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, which they both found fun and intellectually challenging.

*******

One evening, on a Saturday in early November, Samantha burst into the room, and startled Lily, Fiona, Daisy, and Ivy.

"Oh dear, guess what I heard? Guess!"

Lily and the rest of the girls stared at Samantha, who appeared flushed with excitement.

"Come on. Make a guess!"

"Erm, you won a photography contest?" Lily ventured.

"No! Think closer to home, as in Hogwarts."

"You saw Konrad kissing that really pretty exchange professor from Argentina?"

"No, Fiona, but you're close. It has to do with kissing. Guess who was caught kissing a sixth year?"

"Is it someone we know?" said Ivy.

"Yes! He's in a few of our lessons. Come on! Guess!"

"Well, gives us a hint," suggested Daisy.

"All right. He's in our Potions and Transfiguration lessons."

"We only have those lessons with the Slytherins. Was it Rosier?" said Lily.

"No!"

"Wilkes?" Fiona offered.

"No!"

"Oh, come now. I can't imagine any girl _wanting_ to kiss Henchman, so it must have been Snape," Ivy stated.

"Yes!"

"Honestly! Who would _want_ to kiss Snape? And did you say a _sixth year_?" Fiona said, incredulously.

Samantha sat down. "Let me tell you. Catherine Indigo just told me, and she said that her sister, Camille, heard it from Jorkins. Jorkins followed Snape last night without him knowing it, of course. She happened to overhear Snape mention to one of his unpleasant friends that he was going to meet some sixth year girl behind the greenhouses after supper. Her name is Morgana Florence, and she's in Jorkins' Charms and History of Magic lessons.

"Jorkins followed Snape behind the greenhouses, and hid behind a tree. She watched him and Florence kiss and become, erm, quite _friendly_ with each other. After a little while, Jorkins left because she didn't want Filch to catch her for being out after curfew.

"This afternoon and during supper, Jorkins blabbed about what she saw to everyone she came into contact with. You know how she is. Anyway, after supper, Snape got wind of it, and cornered her in a corridor. He then put some kind of hex on her. Now, her tongue hangs from her mouth, and she slobbers, pants, whines, and barks like a dog!"

They all burst into laughter at the image of Jorkins walking around with her tongue hanging from her mouth.

Lily, laughing and holding her stomach, exclaimed, "Well, th-that sh-should t-teach her not to o-open her big mou-mouth!"

During the following two weeks, the students teased Snape, Jorkins, and Florence unmercifully until Professor Dumbledore put a stop to it all.

*******

During the last week of November, Professor McGonagall announced the Yule Ball before Transfiguration ended. After lessons, Lily and Fiona discussed the Yule Ball while on the way to Arithmancy with Professor Vector. Before they entered the room, Oliver caught Lily's attention. Fiona proceeded on without Lily.

"Lily, could you hold on a second?"

"All right. What is it?"

His face reddened slightly. "Do you want to go to the Yule Ball with me?"

"Erm." Feeling uncomfortable, Lily hesitated before replying. She did not wish to attend the Ball with him, but was unsure how to tell him without hurting his feelings.

"Please?"

Professor Vector stuck her head out the door to remind them that class would begin in two minutes.

"Please say yes."

"Erm, all right," Lily responded, feeling miserable and very disappointed with herself.

"Thanks!" Oliver grinned, and buoyantly ran into the room with Lily slowly following in his wake.

"No running in class, Mr. Arbuckle," chided Professor Vector.

On their way to Defence Against the Dark Arts, after Arithmancy, Damien Wilkes asked Fiona to the Yule Ball. Fiona shouted for all to hear, "NO! I will _not_ be seen with a stinking Slytherin! _Do you understand_?"

Wilkes turned beet red and glowered at Fiona before stalking off.

At the end of lessons for the day, Lily heard James calling her while she and Fiona were on their way to the common room. Feeling miserable, Lily stopped and turned. Fiona walked a little ways ahead to wait for Lily.

"Hi!"

"Hello," Lily replied with an overwhelming sinking feeling.

"Will you go to the Ball with me?"

Feeling absolutely awful, she responded, "Erm, I'm sorry. I'm already going with someone else."

James' face fell with disappointment. "Oh." He turned and walked in a direction opposite of the common room with his shoulders slumped.

Lily, with tears in her eyes, caught up with Fiona.

"Are you all right?" Fiona gazed at Lily, and noted the tears spilling down her cheeks.

"No. I'm _not_ all right," Lily cried. "I'm so stupid."

The next day, Lily found it difficult to face James, and therefore, avoided him whenever possible. After Potions, Severus Snape cornered her to ask if she would attend the Yule Ball with him. She informed him that she was already going with someone else.

"_Who are you going with_?" Severus demanded with teeth gritted together, and while staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Oliver. Oliver Arbuckle."

His lips thinned, and a greedy expression briefly passed across his face. "You can do better than that, Lily," he sneered, and walked away.

By the end of the day, Fiona had rejected every boy who asked her to the Ball, including Anthony Zephyr, a Ravenclaw. Lily was beginning to think that Fiona had gone mad.

During the following week, after Care of Magical Creatures, Toby Brentwood of Hufflepuff asked, while blushing furiously, if Lily would attend the Yule Ball with him. He was crestfallen when she informed him that she was going with someone else. After supper, on the same day, Boris Henchman, with face scarlet, asked Lily to accompany him to the Yule Ball. He walked away, nearly in tears, when he learned that she was already committed. Lily thought, guiltily, that she would not want to be seen with Henchman because of his looks. He had very light blonde, closely cropped hair on his pumpkin shaped head; large, bulging, pale grey eyes; a long, pointed nose; and large, clownish red lips.

By mid-December, Fiona had rejected every boy that had asked her to the Yule Ball. Lily finally tried to inject some reality into Fiona.

"Fi, you're not making any sense. Why are you telling every boy that you will not attend the Ball with him? What was wrong with Anthony?"

"I don't want to go with any of them."

"Why?"

"Because I just don't."

"Is there anyone you would _like_ to go with?"

"Yes. Maybe."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

Lily sighed. "All right, Fi, don't run to me crying that you didn't get a date to the Yule Ball."

"All right. I'll go with the next boy that asks."

"That's the spirit!"

At the end of the week, a tall, skinny sixth year by the name of Darren Borgin asked Fiona to the Ball, and she accepted.

On the night of the Yule Ball, Lily and the girls were in the room making last minute preparations. Lily wore a violet dress robe, and her hair was straight and sleek, falling across one shoulder. Fiona wore a deep pink dress robe, and her hair was worn in an elaborate braid wrapped around her head. When the girls finished their toiletries, and after Samantha had taken their photograph, they walked downstairs to the common room. Elijah and his best friend, Christopher McDonald, whistled at them.

Lily and Ivy waited in the common room while Fiona, Samantha, and Daisy left to meet their dates. It suddenly occurred to Lily that she had no idea who Ivy was attending the Ball with.

"Ivy, who are you going with?" Lily said, curiously.

Ivy smiled shyly. "Remus."

Lily's mouth dropped open in surprise.

At that moment, Oliver and Remus walked into the common room. Oliver wore a dress robe of the colour midnight blue, and Remus wore a dark green one.

"Are you girls ready?" Oliver said.

"Yes, we are," Lily replied while grinning at Ivy.

Once in the Great Hall, they found places to sit. Lily and Oliver shared a table with Craig and Sasha and some of their friends. Remus and Ivy joined James, Sirius, and Peter at another table. Lily observed several Slytherins such as Rosier, Avery, Wilkes, and Nott wearing identical black dress robes with a green serpent insignia just below the left shoulder. Lily spotted Severus with Tara Yolke, and wondered which one at the table full of Slytherins was Florence. Her eyes were drawn to the table where James was seated next to Tamara Green. Sirius' date seemed to be Patricia Allspice, a Hufflepuff, who appeared unable to stop giggling. She did not recognise the mousy brown haired girl Peter was with.

Frank Longbottom and a pleasantly plump, pretty girl with dark, fluffy hair and dimples strolled over to where Lily was seated.

"Hi, Lily! This is Diana, Diana Pheasant, my uncommonly lovely girlfriend. Diana, this is Lily."

"Hello. How do you do?" Diana offered Lily her hand.

Lily shook Diana's hand. "Hi. Erm, pleased to meet you. Frank told me about you."

"He did? Well, I _do_ hope that whatever he said was nice."

"It was, my sweet treacle tart." Frank grinned.

"Oh, erm, this is Oliver Arbuckle. Oliver, this is Frank Longbottom. You've seen Frank around in the common room, right?"

"Yes," Oliver mumbled.

"We better leave now, to find some seats. 'Bye, Lily!" Frank and Diana strolled away.

Lily watched everyone milling about in the Great Hall waiting for the feast to begin. Her eyes kept darting over to steal glances at James with Tamara.

"Lily, how was the Ball last year?" Oliver inquired.

"It was great! Hex2 played."

"Really? They're my favourite band! I hope Dumbledore asked them back for this year."

A few minutes later, the feast began. After it ended, they rose, and the tables cleared the floor. Professor Dumbledore announced, to Oliver's extreme delight, that Hex2 would provide the music for the Yule Ball. Hex2 started to play a slow, melancholy number as the Head Boy and Girl stepped out onto the floor with their partners. Virgil Newton, Head Boy, and his girlfriend Renee Bedford, and Alanna Hillman, Head Girl, and her boyfriend, Bartholomew Zill, danced dreamlike to the music while other couples slowly joined them on the floor.

"Would you like to dance?" Oliver said.

"Sure."

While dancing with Oliver, Lily suddenly realised that he had become quite handsome, and she spied other girls furtively glancing over at him. After dancing to the next six songs, Lily and Oliver decided to take a break from the floor. While sipping butterbeer, Lily watched James with Tamara, and thought that they did not seem to be enjoying each other's company very much_. I wish I had said, no_, Lily thought, and, just then, James gazed over at her from across the hall seemingly right into her eyes. Lily blushed, and glanced down at the table.

"Are you all right?" Oliver said with a concerned expression on his face.

"Yes," murmured Lily.

They resumed dancing once they finished their butterbeers. After dancing to another ten numbers, Lily and Oliver exited the Great Hall for a bit of fresh air. Outdoors, they strolled about the grounds, and chatted amicably with the other couples they met. They inadvertently stumbled across Anders Urchinn and Raina Ridgecrest kissing behind a rose bush.

"Sorry," Oliver responded when Urchinn and Ridgecrest noticed him and Lily.

Lily giggled.

Oliver took Lily by the hand, and they slowly headed back in the direction of the castle.

"Lily, may I kiss you?"

"_What?_"

"Will you let me kiss you? We can go someplace where no one will see us."

"I don't think so."

Oliver appeared very disappointed and hurt. "All right then." He let go of her hand.

They returned to the Great Hall, and watched the other couples for a while. Lily sneaked peeks at Oliver and observed that his face appeared rigid with anger.

"Erm, do you want to dance? This is a good song," Lily haltingly ventured.

"No," he replied, curtly.

"Oh. All right."

They sat through several more numbers, and watched the other couples dance. Lily eventually resigned herself to the fact that Oliver had no intention of dancing with her ever again, at least not at this Yule Ball.

"Erm, I'm going to get a butterbeer. Do you want one?" she said.

"No."

Lily sighed, and walked over to the refreshment area. On her way there, James stopped her.

"Lily."

Lily felt slightly awkward. "Hullo."

"Will you have this dance with me? It's the last one. _Please_?"

She smiled shyly. "All right."

He took her by the hand, and led her to the floor. While dancing to the slow, melodic number, Lily noted that he danced much better than he did at the concert, and wondered if he had taken lessons.

"Lily," he whispered in her ear.

"Hmm?"

"Will you go to the Yule Ball with me next year?"

"Yes."

*******

Late at night, on the second of January, Lily was stretched out on a rug, in front of a roaring fire, reading Arianna of Hogsmeade Gables and eating Honeyduke's Finest Chocolate Truffles, a gift from James. Suddenly, she heard a sharp tapping at the window. She jumped up, and cautiously pushed the curtains aside to stare out into the dark. It was Capricorn! Lily quickly unlatched the window, and opened it wide. Capricorn flew in on a gust of cold wind and a spray of ice pellets. She fought with the curtains billowing into the room, and struggled to close the window. Finally, she was able to get it shut and latched.

"Lily, is everything all right down there?"

"Yes, Dad! It was just Fiona's owl!"

"When you are done with whatever you are doing down there, come upstairs and go to bed! It's late!"

"All right!"

"Could I get some sleep around here?" Petunia yelled shrilly from upstairs.

Capricorn made himself comfortable on the rug in front of the fire. Lily sat down besides him, and removed the parchment attached to his leg.

"Poor thing, you must be chilly," Lily crooned to the owl. "I'm sure that you do not want to go outside anytime soon, do you?"

Capricorn stared at her with a "what do you think?" expression on his face.

Lily opened the parchment, and read.

> > _Lily,_
>> 
>> _Oh dear! You must read this! It's so awful!_
>> 
>> _Love,_
>> 
>> _Fi_
>> 
>> _p.s._
>> 
>> _Don't forget to be at our house at 10 o'clock so that we can make it to King's Cross on time._

> > > Carnage Rings in The New Year
>>> 
>>> -Rita Skeeter, Assistant Correspondent
>>> 
>>> Bloody, gory, revolting, and nauseating are just a few of the words that describe what occurred in King Arthur's Square at the dawn of the New Year.
>>> 
>>> About one hundred wizards and witches gathered in King Arthur's Square on the night of New Year's Eve to bid farewell to the old and welcome in the new. Unfortunately, the celebration turned into the worst nightmare imaginable for the revellers when the clock in the square chimed midnight. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and a number of Death Eaters, according to the few survivors, apparated on the perimeter of the square at the precise moment the clock began to chime. Panic quickly ensued, as the crowd attempted to escape, but You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters had blocked all access from the square.
>>> 
>>> I approached the small group of survivors while gingerly stepping over pools of blood and gore. The only person able to speak coherently was Olivia Perks, whose children and husband were huddled, in a dazed shock, next to her. It was obvious that Olivia wore the trousers in the Perks' home. I asked Mrs. Perks to try to tell me calmly and clearly what transpired after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the Death Eaters arrived.
>>> 
>>> "He began to laugh hideously, and shivers went up me spine for I was so afraid. I thought we were all going to die! Suddenly, we heard what sounded like the flapping of a million wings and a loud buzzing overhead. We looked up, and, oh God..."
>>> 
>>> Mrs. Perks then began to shake uncontrollably and to rock back and forth on her heels. I yelled for a strong drink to give the woman, but it took a few minutes before it was forthcoming, no thanks to dull witted Ministry wizards. After I encouraged the hysterical woman to drink a goblet of Goblins' Gold, she calmed down enough to continue her story.
>>> 
>>> "Floaches! _Thousands_ of floaches! He summoned them! They landed on _people_, and began to _feed_. Oh _God_, it was awful! We, me family and I, ran blindly as floaches tore chunks from our bodies. My little Christopher, he's only six, found a hole at the base of the clock, and we all squeezed in. The floaches tried to come in after us, but we managed to keep them at bay with charms and hexes. Oh God! Those poor people trapped outside were eaten alive!"
>>> 
>>> Disgustingly, Mrs. Perks began to vomit. Fortunately, medical personnel quickly rushed onto the scene to escort the survivors to hospitals. I noted that all of them were bloodied, with several sustaining serious injuries. It is likely that some will be forever disfigured.
>>> 
>>> Apparently, You-Know-Who bred the floaches with a taste for human blood, and, as a horribly, cruel joke, decided to unleash the monstrosities on innocent people.
>>> 
>>> Sixty-six men, women, and children of the ninety-nine present in King Arthur's Square were horrifically slaughtered at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day.
>>> 
>>> Query: Why is the Ministry of Magic so inept? Is the Ministry satisfied with its role of cleaning up after You-Know-Who? Does a yellow streak run through the heart of the Ministry? I will answer these questions in a special article in the next issue of _Witch Weekly_.

Lily felt utterly sick after reading the article, and picked up the second one while hoping that it was not as revolting as the one she had just read.

> > > _Hogwarts Student Mysteriously Disappears on Christmas Day_
>>> 
>>> _-Rita Skeeter, Assistant Correspondent_
>>> 
>>> _Raina Ridgecrest, age fourteen, disappeared from the family farm on the night of Christmas. According to Horatio Ridgecrest, Raina stepped outside to check on some newly hatched owlets in the barn. The Ridgecrest family breeds and raises an assortment of owls for a living, and is one of the major suppliers of Eeylops Owl Emporium. When Raina did not return after about thirty minutes, Agnes Ridgecrest, a homely, tiny, bespectacled woman, sent Horatio Junior and Adam, ages ten and eight, outdoors to tell their sister to come inside from the cold. The boys returned without their sister, and a search party was quickly assembled, but its efforts were in vain._
>>> 
>>> _This case bears a remarkable resemblance to that of Kristin Dewdroppe who, a few years ago, vanished from her backyard, only to be found dead a few months later. It is hoped that Miss Ridgecrest does not follow a similar fate._

Lily fervently prayed that Raina was found safe and well. After musing over the articles for several minutes, Lily stretched and yawned. "I'm sleepy," she whispered to herself. "I only hope that I can fall asleep after reading these awful articles. Thanks, Fiona."

"Come, Capricorn. It's time to for bed." The owl stared at her indignantly, and refused to budge from his location by the fire.

"It's all right. My room is warm, and I have a cage for you. Remember?" The owl hooted softly, stretched out its wings, and flew upstairs.

About thirty minutes later, Lily was in bed sleeping a dreamless sleep.

*******

When the students returned to Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore, with black drapes behind him, gravely informed them that thirteen of their number had been killed on New Year's Day while celebrating in King Arthur's Square. He read off the list of those who were slain amidst sniffles and sobs. Afterwards, he told the students that Raina Ridgecrest had been missing since Christmas, and was presumed dead.


	19. Making Plans or Hatching Schemes

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XIX: _Making Plans or Hatching Schemes_**

On an unusually mild day in mid-February, while strolling about the castle grounds, Fiona inquired about Oliver's recent chilly behaviour towards Lily. Lily explained to Fiona what happened during the Yule Ball.

"He's not speaking to you because you wouldn't let him _kiss_ you?" Fiona said, incredulously.

"Yes, that's it."

"What a big _baby_, the sulky git!"

Fiona then smiled wickedly. "You should've told him that you would prefer to kiss James."

Lily's face turned a bright scarlet shade, and she playfully pushed Fiona.

Fiona laughed. "I'm sure that James would want to become friendly with _you_."

Lily took a swing at Fiona, and a chase immediately ensued. After a few minutes, they gave up the chase and flopped onto the dead grass to catch their breaths.

"So, Fi, why are you all of a sudden giving Patricia Allspice such a hard time?"

Fiona looked down at the ground, and picked at the dead grass. "Because she's a stupid cow who is always giggling for no reason."

"She only giggles when she's around Sirius."

"Yes, that's because she's stupid. I don't know why he even took her to the Yule Ball. She isn't his type really."

"And just _who_ do you think _is_ his type?" Lily said with feigned innocence.

Fiona blushed.

"Why, Fiona! You like Sirius!"

With a red face, Fiona shouted, "You don't have to broadcast it to the world!"

"I didn't! There's no one within _earshot_. So, you really like him?"

Shyly, Fiona replied, "Yes."

"D'you think he likes you?"

"Probably not because he didn't ask me to the Ball. He asked that cow, Allspice. Also, he's always calling me Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum, which I _hate_," remarked Fiona mournfully.

Lily sighed. "Perhaps we can get Elijah to find out for us. James and Sirius sometimes let him spend time with them. It's sweet. Elijah really admires them, even after they scared him during the sorting, and they treat Elijah like a little brother."

"I don't know. Elijah sometimes can be just as silly as them, especially when he is with Chris McDonald. Plus, I'm afraid that Elijah would just shout any information he gets to _everyone_. You know how he can be sometimes, a royal pain."

"Aye, that's true. Oh, do you know what else is cute? Catherine Indigo said that Thora is just dead _gone_ on Sirius. Every time she sees him, she goes into this trance."

"You know what else, Lily?"

"What?"

"Daisy told me that Elijah is in love with _Samantha_."

"_Really_? He is?"

"Yes!"

"Perhaps we can blackmail him. He's just a little boy. We can ask him to find out whom Sirius really likes. If Elijah feels an urge to open his gob, we'll just tell him we'll let everyone know that he loves Sam."

"Oh, that's _terrible_, Lily, but good! Let's do it! But not me, you do it _for_ me."

"All right. It's a deal."

Later that day, with a bribe consisting of sweets from Honeyduke's, Lily asked Elijah to find out whom Sirius likes. She also threatened him that if he told anyone about what she was up to, she would announce to the entire school that he was in love with Samantha. Elijah turned an alarming shade of red, and begged her not do such an "awful, mean thing."

*******

In early March, lessons were abruptly cancelled one afternoon and all students were ordered to report to the Great Hall. Lily walked into the hall with a strong sense of foreboding, and noted the black drapes hanging behind the High Table. She knew in her heart that Raina Ridgecrest had been found dead. Professor Dumbledore confirmed to the assembled group what Lily had already suspected.

The very next morning, there was a piece in the _Daily Prophet_ about Raina Ridgecrest. According to the article, written by Rita Skeeter, Raina was found by Muggle children in a lot behind a vacated building on Teak's Row in London. Like Dewdroppe, an image of a large serpent coiled around a unicorn had been branded on her neck. She had only been dead for about sixteen hours, according to the examiner, when her body was discovered.

*******

On the 31st of March, Elijah beckoned Lily to an empty corner of the common room.

"What is it?" Lily said.

"I have the information you wanted," he stated importantly.

"Oh! So, who does he like?"

He grinned, and whispered, "Fiona."

"He does? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure! I heard him tell James that he likes her, and will ask her to the next Ball. James told him that he should be nicer to her, and stop calling her Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum."

"Really?"

"Yes, and that's not all."

"There's more?"

"Yes! James and Sirius started talking about how much they wanted to kiss you and Fiona. Only, they were calling each other Pads something and Throngs or whatever."

Lily's eyes widened, and her face turned a deep red. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"

"Are you all right?" Elijah stared at her as though she had gone mad.

Lily placed both hands on his shoulders, bent to his level, and gazed directly into his eyes. "_You must not tell anyone about this_. D'you hear?"

"Of course, I will not tell anyone! What do you think I am? Stupid? I'm not Jorkins, you know." He gave her a slightly disgusted look. "Besides, James and Sirius would beat the shite out of me if I did."

"_Elijah_!"

"Sorry."

"All right. Don't forget that I will _also_ tell the _entire_ school that you are in love with Samantha."

"I _said_ I wouldn't tell anyone! Blimey, can't you give a young bloke a break?"

"All right, I'm sorry." She kissed him on the cheek, and he blushed.

"Where are my Filibuster fireworks you promised?" Elijah demanded.

"Oh. They're upstairs. I'll go get them, now. Thanks, Elijah!"

Late that night in the common room, when everyone was asleep, Lily shared Elijah's tale with Fiona. Fiona reacted by blushing furiously and screaming. Her screams woke everyone in the house.

*******

Lily, Ivy, Daisy, and Samantha, on their brooms, flew haphazardly above the Quidditch pitch. They were supposed to be helping Fiona practice for the upcoming match between the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. Fiona wanted to practice as much as possible. While Fiona swooped around pretending to look for the Snitch, Lily, Ivy, Daisy, and Samantha pretended to be Seekers, Chasers, Beaters, and Keepers for both sides. Every once in a while, they threw an egg, stolen from the kitchens, for Fiona to catch before it plummeted to the ground. After some time passed, Ivy, Daisy, and Samantha tired of the game and begged Fiona to let them go. Reluctantly, Fiona waved them off. Lily and Fiona resumed playing until they spotted two distant figures entering the Forbidden Forest.

"Who _are_ they?" Lily squinted.

"I don't know. Let's get a closer look."

"Wait, Fi! We don't want them to see us."

"If we fly above the treetops, they won't see us. Come, before we lose them."

Lily and Fiona silently glided over the Forbidden Forest, above the treetops, and caught up with the two figures. They recognised one as Professor Konrad. The other wizard, with black hair and a goatee, they had never seen before. It was difficult for them to hear the conversation, and the most they could get were snatches of it.

"...Must, Karkaroff!"

"...Increase student ranks..."

"....If not....rid of Munchausen..."

Lily and Fiona gazed at one another with a questioning expression on their faces, and then returned their concentration to the figures below.

"Look....under control...."

".....Dewdroppe......and Ridgecrest....."

Lily and Fiona sharply glanced up at each other.

"He....will take one...."

"....Hogsmeade....the right time...."

Konrad and the wizard's conversation became inaudible at that point, and very shortly afterwards, the unknown wizard disapparated from the Forbidden Forest. Konrad rapidly strode back towards the castle.

Once safe in the common room, Lily and Fiona discussed what little they had heard.

"Fi, I think I should tell Professor Dumbledore. I promised I would tell him if I saw anything unusual, and that was unusual."

"But Lily, how was it unusual? You don't know if the professors aren't allowed visitors. I don't see anything wrong them having visitors. It's Sunday, so it should be all right."

"I don't know," Lily frowned. "It just seemed wrong. That's all. Why did they meet in the Forbidden Forest? How come they didn't meet in Konrad's office?"

"Perhaps they wanted fresh air or they were afraid that someone would overhear their conversation."

"Why should they be concerned about someone hearing their conversation if they have nothing to hide?"

"Lily," Fiona stated, exasperatedly. "You and I do it all the time!"

"Yes, but we don't go to the Forbidden Forest!"

"Because it's forbidden!"

"Then why were they talking about Munchausen, Dewdroppe, and Ridgecrest? Perhaps they know who murdered them! Perhaps _they_ murdered them!"

"Honestly, Lily! You can't go to Dumbledore spouting all that!"

"All right! Let's stop yelling at each other. I won't say anything to Dumbledore until _somehow_ I get more information. But, Fi, it still doesn't _feel_ right to me. Something is _very_ _wrong_."

Fiona sighed. "Okay, if we see Konrad doing any other weird stuff in the Forbidden Forest or we see that wizard again, we'll tell Dumbledore. All right?"

"All right."

On the following Saturday, the Gryffindors beat the Ravenclaws 160 to 150.

*******

Lily, exhausted from studying for an upcoming exam in Defence Against the Dark Arts, put her head on her arms and fell promptly asleep on the book opened before her. She immediately began dreaming of the corridor below the castle, the very same corridor that Malfoy tortured her in. She thought, _Oh dear, please not again_. Then she heard voices behind her and turned. Lily gasped in shock. It was Fiona! Rosier, Wilkes, Avery, and Nott were dragging Fiona through the corridor. Fiona struggled as they dragged her toward the large, oak door. "_Help me_!" Fiona wailed in her ear. Lily abruptly awoke, grabbed her things, and ran out of the library.

She tore through the corridors while praying fervently that Filch or no one else stopped her. Eventually, she reached the disused corridor and ran down its steep slope. Faintly, Lily heard voices ahead and ran faster. She shoved the oak door open while pulling out her wand and barged into the room. Wilkes, Avery, and Nott were holding Fiona as Rosier kissed her on the mouth. Lily shouted, "_Expelliarmus_!" All four boys were thrown backwards, and Lily managed to miraculously catch five wands at once.

"Fiona, over here!" Lily kept her wand pointed at the boys as Fiona ran to her side. Lily, without looking, handed Fiona her wand, which Fiona levelled at the boys.

"You're going to pay for this, _Evans_," snarled Rosier.

"No! It's _you_ who is going to pay!"

"Bitch, give me back my wand or I promise you I will hunt you down and kill you!" threatened Wilkes with a murderous gleam in his eyes. He walked slowly towards Lily.

"_Back off_!"

"Witch, you don't scare me. If you know what's good for you, you would return our wands. Now, _GIVE ME BACK MY WAND, BITCH!_" Wilkes screamed with a deranged expression on his face.

"_Petrificus Totalus_!" Lily retorted, and Wilkes fell onto the floor as stiff as a board.

"_You're going to pay for this, witch_," Avery stated in low, malevolent voice.

"We'll see about that. Come, Fiona."

They exited the room.

"Run, Fi!"

They ran swiftly through the corridors. When they reached the third floor, Lily found a boys' toilet, opened the door, and threw the four boys' wands into it. They heard someone exclaim, "Ow! Who threw those at me?"

A few minutes later, they arrived in the common room, out of breath, and collapsed onto a chair. Fiona started crying.

Lily hugged her. "It's all right, Fi."

"Lily, how did you know? How did you know?" Fiona sobbed.

"It was weird. I fell asleep in the library and dreamt that I saw you being dragged in a corridor. Then I heard you call out for help, and I woke up. Something told me to hurry, so I did."

"Thanks, Lily. I'm glad that you came," sniffed Fiona.

After awhile, Fiona dried her tears.

"What happened?"

"I was walking to the library to come and get you when those foul, disgusting floaches cornered me. Before I could reach for my wand, they disarmed me. Then that filthy Rosier said that he was going to teach me a lesson for hitting him in the stomach. Remember? On the train?"

"Yes."

"The goons he was with grabbed me by my arms, and wouldn't let go, and forced me through the corridors. I was hoping Filch or one of the professors would show up, but no one did. Next, they dragged me through this horrible corridor, and then they pushed me into that awful room with the bones on the floor. Nott closed the door, and Wilkes and Avery pinned my arms behind my back. Then Nott came up behind me and pulled my head back by my hair." She frowned with distaste. "That disgusting, cesspool Rosier then placed his putrid mouth on mine, and then you barged in. I think I'm going to upchuck."

Fiona ran upstairs to the girls' toilet.

*******

Several days later, Professor Dumbledore summoned Lily. Apprehensively, she entered his office. Fawkes spotted her, and flew over to Professor Dumbledore's desk just as she took a seat. Fawkes then settled on her knee, and Lily began to stroke its brilliant feathers.

"Lily, Professor Konrad informed me that you had an altercation with a few Slytherins. Is that true?"

Lily nervously shifted in the chair, and Fawkes flew back onto the desk. "Yes, sir."

"Did you put the full Body Bind Curse on Damien Wilkes?"

"Yes, sir."

Professor Dumbledore sighed. "Professor Konrad is quite upset. He is very loyal to the students in his house, perhaps a bit _too_ loyal.

"Please tell me what happened."

Lily proceeded to tell him everything that had occurred. Anger hardened his face when Lily described what she had seen upon entering the room, and when she shared Fiona's account of the incident.

"This is a serious charge. You have told me everything?"

Lily nodded her head. Fawkes returned to her knee.

Professor Dumbledore appraised her. "The one thing I find intriguing about all of this is your dream. Have you had similar types of dreams in the past?"

Lily shook her head. "No, sir."

"Hmm, interesting." He then rose from his chair, walked over to the fireplace, and threw some powder into it.

"Wilhelm, will you come up here for a moment?"

Lily started in surprise when a swirling figure appeared inside the fireplace. Konrad stepped into the room once the swirling ceased. Fawkes flew over to his perch, and seemed to eye Konrad closely.

"Professor," Dumbledore commenced. "I have just received a full account of what happened from Lily. It appears that Rosier, Wilkes, Avery, and Nott accosted Miss McKinnon on her way to the library, disarmed her, forced her into a room below the castle, and held her while Rosier took liberties with her. Lily arrived on the scene and disarmed the four boys, thereby freeing Miss McKinnon. Wilkes, in particular, began to make threats, and Lily ended up placing the full Body Bind Curse on him. This account is quite different from the one Rosier, Wilkes, Avery, and Nott provided."

"Sir, you know how these young witches tend to exaggerate, especially when their honour and dignity are at stake," Konrad replied, silkily.

Professor Dumbledore peered intently at Konrad. "Are you implying that Lily has fabricated this account?"

Anger passed fleetingly across Konrad's face. "What I am saying, sir, is that young witches tend to exaggerate. I believe that McKinnon was not telling the full truth about what occurred. McKinnon led Rosier on, and started screaming when things didn't go as she planned. That is how these young witches behave nowadays."

"That is not true! Professor Dumbledore, Fiona isn't like that. She doesn't even _like_ Evan!" Lily said, angrily.

Konrad ignored her. "Sir, I stand by Wilkes, Avery, Nott, and Rosier's word."

"Professor, I'm afraid I do not," Professor Dumbledore quietly stated. "I believe Lily's account of the incident. Even if Miss McKinnon initially led Rosier on, as you put it, why did he, Wilkes, Avery, and Nott _insist_ on dragging her below the castle, _against her will_?

"I willnot tolerate such reprehensible behaviour from _any_ student in this school. I have made my decision: Rosier, Wilkes, Avery, and Nott will be suspended for two weeks. In addition, six hundred points will be subtracted from your house. I want Rosier, Wilkes, Avery, and Nott removed from the grounds immediately. You are excused, Professor."

Konrad stepped into the fireplace. When Professor Dumbledore turned his back, he gave Lily an exceedingly nasty look before disappearing.

Fawkes flew from his perch, landed on Lily's knee, and began to sing. Lily smiled, and stroked its warm, bright feathers.

"Lily, could you do something for me?" Professor Dumbledore said, gently.

Lily shrugged. "Yes, sir."

He smiled. "Oh, it isn't anything difficult or out of the ordinary. It's just this: if you have another one of those type of dreams, could you share it with me?"

"All right, sir."

"One thing: do you remember how to reach the corridor Miss McKinnon was taken to?"

"Yes."

"Tomorrow, I want you to show me the corridor. I want to seal it, and the room. You may leave now."

Fawkes flew onto the desk as Lily stood to leave the room. When she reached the door, Professor Dumbledore halted her. Lily turned to face him. Oddly, his eyes were full of joy.

"Tell Mister James Godric Potter that I said to go slow."

Lily frowned slightly. "Erm, all right."

*******

The following week, Konrad held Lily back after Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"Let's talk, shall we?" Konrad watched Lily with a chilly gleam in his eyes as he closed the door.

He sauntered to his desk while continuing to stare at Lily. Once he reached the desk, he sat down, and ordered Lily to take the chair directly in front of him. For several minutes, he stared intently at her with a shrewd expression on his face. Lily, feeling uncomfortable, shifted slightly in the chair. A smile that did not reach his eyes spread across his face.

"So. Perhaps I should start calling you Miss Busybody. You seem to have a rather irritating habit of meddling in affairs that do not concern you." He removed the wand from his pocket and began tapping it on the desk.

_tap, tap, tap_

"Anything concerning Honourable Lord Salazar Slytherin's house is my affair."

_tap, tap, tap_

"Meddlesome busybodies such as yourself are a real problem."

_tap, tap, tap_

"You seem to be a remarkably bright, young witch. Tell me, how should I solve this problem?"

_tap, tap, tap_

Konrad slammed his wand on the desk forcefully. Lily started in her seat.

"ANY ANSWER WOULD SUFFICE, WITCH." Sparks, like burning embers, drifted lazily from his wand.

Lily, wondering if he had gone stark, raving mad, answered, "Erm...."

"Is that all you can say? Obviously, I overestimated your intelligence," he acidly snapped.

"I did NOT appreciate you losing my house six hundred points. I did NOT appreciate having a few of my best and most promising students suspended because of you. You are a meddlesome busybody, witch, and that makes you a problem."

_tap, tap, tap_

"You must feel that you can get away with anything now that you have that old crock, Dumbledore, wrapped around your perfect little finger, eh?"

_tap, tap, tap_

Lily's face began to slowly burn with anger. She glared at him.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for your insolence," he snapped.

_tap, tap, tap_

"If I were you, girl, I would watch my back. In some circles, being a Mudblood is worthy of death."

_I hate you_, Lily thought while simmering with anger.

"Another fifty points from Gryffindor! Don't you realize, girl, that I can read you like an open book?" he snarled.

_tap, tap, tap_

"Mudbloods and meddlesome busybodies eventually come to a sticky end."

_tap, tap, tap_

"Do you know the details of Munchausen's death?" he said in a low, silky voice.

"Sally Munchausen was placed under the Imperius Curse. First, she ripped her own ears from her head, and ate them. Second, she amputated her feet, and then ate them. Third, she plucked the eyes from her head, and then ate them. Fourth, she sliced open her abdomen, and spilled her guts. While dying, she managed to chop off one of her hands, which she attempted to eat."

Lily stared at him with horror and revulsion.

Konrad grinned at her coldly. "Do you know what happened to Dewdroppe and Ridgecrest before they died?" he whispered.

_tap, tap, tap_

"Keep meddling in my affairs, _Mudblood_, and you will find out."

Lily, sick with never before felt rage, leapt from the chair. "I HATE you! I HATE you! YOU killed them!"

"SIT DOWN, YOU STUPID GIRL! DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW!"

She remained standing while gripping the wand in her pocket.

"SIT DOWN, WITCH!"

Trembling with rage, Lily retrieved her wand.

Konrad whispered ominously, "_Put your expletive wand away, and sit down_."

Eyes locked onto his, Lily slowly sat down with impotent rage coursing through her body.

"That little display of yours just resulted in a loss of three hundred points from Gryffindor."

He rose from his chair, walked over to Lily, placed a hand on each arm of the chair she was sitting on, and leaned down so that their faces were separated by only a few centimetres.

"Listen to me carefully, witch. I did not murder Dewdroppe or Ridgecrest. If I hear of any such rumour being circulated around this expletive school, I will personally hold you responsible. Is that clear?

"IS THAT CLEAR?" Tiny droplets of spittle sprayed her face.

"Yes!" she snapped.

"Another fifty points from Gryffindor. Now, get the hell out of my sight!"

Most of the Gryffindors became very angry with Lily after they learned she was responsible for them losing four hundred and fifty points.

*******

About a week after the meeting with Konrad, during breakfast, Lily received a gift. Like the others, it was from someone who wished to remain anonymous. Lily unwrapped the package, and revealed a red and gold box with lilies engraved upon it. There was a gold key attached to the box.

"Another one?" Fiona said.

"Aye."

Lily placed the key into the keyhole, and the top portion of the box sprung open. Two life-like figurines, a male and a female, emerged as a woman with a high, sweet voice began singing. The female, bearing a remarkable resemblance to Lily, curtsied before the male, who bowed in return. The female wore a green, frilly dress robe, of a satiny type of material, with a plunging, nearly revealing, neckline. Unlike the female, the male's face was completely free of any characteristics.

"An Erato Music Box! That's _so_ romantic!" Daisy exclaimed.

The music ended, and the male started passionately kissing the female as the lid of the box closed.

Lily's face burned.

*******

"I'm awfully thirsty. Let's go to the Three Broomsticks, now," suggested Ivy, one Saturday in Hogsmeade.

"All right," said Fiona with her mouth full of a sticky tart.

Lily, Fiona, and Ivy, holding small bags full of sweets from Honeyduke's, headed toward the Three Broomsticks. When they entered, they immediately noted that it was rather crowded.

"Erm, we're going to have a hard time finding a table for the three of us," Lily stated.

"Lily! Lily! Over here!"

Lily, Fiona, and Ivy spotted James jumping up and down and waving his arms. They slowly made their way over to his location. Once they arrived, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter hastily created space for the girls by grabbing unoccupied chairs from other tables. Once situated, the girls and boys gazed at one another in awkward silence.

"Erm, Fiona, what's that you have in your bag?" Sirius said. Fiona was seated beside him.

Fiona, with face flushed and eyes downcast, murmured, "Candy and things from Honeyduke's."

Seated next to James, Lily's face reddened when she recalled what Elijah had told her slightly more than a month ago.

"We went to Zonko's to resupply our store of dungbombs. It was getting low," James put in.

"James and Sirius also bought a few Bursting Eardrums' Sound Magnifiers," said Remus.

"To use in Binns' class," added Peter. "They also bought an Exploding Cauldron for Potions."

"Erm, are you two really going to use those in class?" inquired Ivy with disbelief.

"Of course!" James answered.

Lily frowned. "But, James, aren't those Bursting Eardrums things awfully loud? Elijah and Chris used them in a boys' toilet once, and they said that the walls cracked, and the sinks fell onto the floor."

James smiled wickedly.

"Noooo, James! Please don't do it in Binns' class!" Lily exclaimed with alarm.

"Wear earmuffs," suggested Sirius.

"They wouldn't work!" Ivy retorted.

James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter laughed at the identical stricken expressions of dismay and worry on each girl's face.

"Never fear, James and Sirius figured it all out," chuckled Peter.

"We bought the three of you a Sound Neutralizer while we were in Zonko's," Remus added.

Feeling very much relieved, Lily replied, "Good."

James, Sirius, and Remus reached into their packages, and handed each girl a Sound Neutralizer.

"Good afternoon, my favourite young wizards, _and_ witches. What can I do for you today?" interrupted Madam Rosmerta.

"Erm, I'll have a Goblins' Gold, and a kiss from a beautiful older woman such as yourself," stated James imperiously.

Madam Rosmerta laughed. "You shall have a butterbeer, and a kiss." She bent over to kiss James on the cheek.

"I'll have a cigar, and one of those kisses James received," said Sirius.

Smiling, Madam Rosmerta replied, "One butterbeer and a kiss coming up." She leaned over to kiss Sirius on the cheek.

"I gather that the rest of you would like a butterbeer, yes?"

Lily, Fiona, Ivy, Remus, and Peter all nodded their heads in agreement

She left, and, about two minutes later, returned with their butterbeers.

They chatted for a while about their lessons while drinking butterbeer. When they finished their drinks, they caught Madam Rosmerta's attention to request another round, which she promptly brought over about a minute later.

"What do you think of Konrad?" inquired Remus to no one in particular.

Lily and Fiona glanced at each other.

"I think," Fiona began.

"Look at King Potter, surrounded by his fan club," interrupted Severus Snape with cold malice on his face. Rosier, Wilkes, and Avery stood next to him like bodyguards.

"Get your ugly, big-nosed face out of here, and take your bloody bats with you," sneered Sirius.

"Are you Potter's mouthpiece? Can't the saintly Potter speak for himself?" Snape snapped icily while glaring at Sirius.

"Oy!" James slapped himself on the forehead. "It finally came to me! Snape, do you know what you remind me of?"

Snape stared at James with a mixture of loathing and envy.

"A dementor! A cold, dark, miserable, soul sucking dementor. GET THEE GONE, DEMENTOR!"

Lily, Fiona, Sirius, Ivy, Remus, and Peter laughed.

"A show off, eh, lover boy?" Snape replied coldly as his eyes avariciously crawled over Lily's face. "I would watch who I associate with, Lily." 

As Snape, Rosier, and Avery, began to walk away, Wilkes reached over Fiona, grabbed her goblet of butterbeer, and then poured the contents over Fiona's head. Fiona leapt from her chair sputtering, with butterbeer dripping from her face and hair.

In a blink of an eye, Sirius lunged towards Wilkes, knocked him onto the floor, and began pummelling him with his fists. Snape, with an odd expression of excitement and animosity on his face, aimed a calculated kick to Sirius' head. Sirius fell to the floor limp. James leapt onto Snape, who crashed onto an adjacent table and knocked food and drinks over. The students at the table screamed and quickly backed away. As James swung his fists at Snape, Rosier made a grab for James at the same time as Remus grabbed Rosier into a chokehold. Avery ran over to assist Rosier, but was thwarted by Peter who tripped him with his foot. Avery crashed ungainly to the floor. Wilkes grabbed a chair, preparing to bash it over James' head, but Hagrid nimbly plucked it from him.

"OH NO YEH DON'T," thundered Hagrid.

"Now, break it up! Break it up!" Hagrid then began pulling the boys apart.

After Hagrid separated the boys, he inquired, while frowning, "James, what's goin' on here?"

James, his nose bleeding, glared at Snape. "These bloody Slytherin trolls started it, Hagrid."

"Erm, could someone _please_ do something? Sirius is hurt," Fiona pleaded worriedly while kneeling next to Sirius, who was stretched out on the floor with blood sluggishly dripping from one ear.

"WHICH ONE OF YEH BLOODY RUFFIANS DID THIS?" roared Hagrid, as a crowd of onlookers silently gazed upon the scene.

"The ugly git I'm looking at," James coldly replied while staring at Snape.

"Why don' yeh four leave, now, eh? Yeh've caused enough trouble. Go on. Leave," Hagrid ordered Snape, Rosier, Wilkes, and Avery.

"Who do you think you're talking to, Gamekeeper?" Wilkes gazed at Hagrid with an expression full of contempt.

"The suspension wasn't enough fer yeh, eh? I know what yeh are, Wilkes. I know all about yer father. Death Eater he is, eh? You're probly jus' like him. Now, get out of here, and take yer friends with yeh!"

They defiantly remained where they were.

Hagrid roughly lifted Wilkes and Rosier completely off the floor, by the backs of their robes, and then proceeded to carry them out of the Three Broomsticks amid a scattering of applause.

"One of these days, Potter, no one is going to come to your rescue," Snape venomously hissed, and then strode rapidly out the door with Avery following on his heels like a puppy.

Hagrid returned, and gently lifted Sirius' unconscious form. They followed Hagrid to a horseless carriage, which James and Fiona tightly squeezed in with Hagrid.

"Meet us at the hospital wing," James shouted as the carriage rolled away.

*******

This Quidditch match, between the Gryffindors and Slytherins, was by far the dirtiest game the students had ever seen. It appeared that the Slytherins' goal was to injure or take out as many Gryffindor players as possible. The Slytherin Beaters, Snape and Winters, were especially ruthless.

Lily watched the game with dismay and worry while hoping that Snape did not kill James. Her face wrinkled with distaste at the thought of Snape. She recalled her tentative friendship with him long ago, when she had been a first year. Snape had seemed different to her then, aloof, but not unpleasant. Now, he was unpleasant and cold, not so different from the wretched group he associated with. She especially did not like the way he had been watching her lately. It gave her the creeps.

James prepared to throw the Quaffle, but was thwarted by Snape, who swooped towards him while swinging the club he held at James' face.

CRACK!

The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and a small number of Slytherins in the stands gasped and rose collectively. Then a number of students screamed, "Foul."

"JAMIE!" Lily said as James fell off his broom from the blow to his face. Then she ran down the stands with Ivy, Sirius, Remus, and Peter in tow.

The students in the stands angrily shouted at the Slytherins on the field.

Lily, Ivy, Sirius, Remus, and Peter reached James just as he landed gently on the ground.

Chaos was on the field. A number of the Gryffindor and Slytherin players were fighting with each other, and Professor McGonagall was screaming at Snape at the top of her lungs.

Madam Pomfrey arrived on the scene, and pushed the players out of the way. James lay on the ground unconscious with his nose broken. His battered glasses hung from his face.

"Oh dear," Madam Pomfrey exclaimed. She conjured up a stretcher, and a few of the Gryffindor Quidditch team members helped place him upon it.

Lily gently removed James' glasses and placed them in her pocket. Then she, Ivy, Sirius, Remus, and Peter solemnly followed Madam Pomfrey to the hospital wing amid cries of outrage.

After about thirty minutes, Madam Pomfrey stepped out into the corridor, just outside the hospital wing, where Lily, Ivy, Sirius, Remus, and Peter quietly waited.

"Is James all right?" Sirius inquired.

Madam Pomfrey briefly scrutinised their small group. "Yes, he's fine now, but he will remain here overnight for observation. Concussions are a nasty business, as you should well know, Mr. Black. Heavens knows why anyone would _want_ to play such a violent sport." She shook her head, and sighed.

"Erm, can we see him?" said Lily.

"All right, but only for a few minutes. He needs to rest, not socialize."

They walked inside, and saw James propped up in bed, his face slightly pale. His nose had been returned to normal.

"Hi," Lily said. "Are you all right?"

"Aye, I guess so, but I lost my glasses."

"Oh!" exclaimed Lily. "You didn't lose them! I have them." Lily carefully removed his glasses from her pocket. "They're broken, but I can fix them." She pulled out her wand, tapped his glasses, and said, "_Resarcio_." Lily handed them to James as good as new.

"Thanks, Lily," James smiled as he put his glasses on.

At that moment, Fiona and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team burst into the room. Each member grinned with joy as the team captain presented the Quidditch Cup to James.

Several minutes later, Madam Pomfrey strode purposefully into the quite noisy room, and yelled, "It's time for _all_ of you to leave. This is a _hospital wing_, not a place for rambunctious teenagers to celebrate."

*******

On the last day of school, Professor Dumbledore announced to the students that the Ministry of Magic passed legislation further restricting the use of underage sorcery. Specifically, the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery had been amended, in paragraph C, to state that magic is no longer permitted outside school for _any reason_. The students were further told that violating the decree might result in expulsion from Hogwarts.

**---------**

_**Note:** The last part, composed of seven chapters, will be posted within a few weeks._


	20. Part III: Opus

_**A/N:** This is the last part. I apologise for taking so long to post it. I had planned to post it last week, but then I was hospitalized for an unpleasant illness. Hospitals are the pits._

_**Sirius87**: It's on its way. ^_^_

_ ** All:** Thanks so much for your interest in this story! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :-D Many hugs and kisses from moi! xoxoxoxoxoxox...._

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Part III: Opus**

**Chapter XX: _Summer_**

Early in the morning, of the sixth of July, Lily was startled awake by a sharp rapping at her window. Drowsily, she staggered from bed and opened it. James' hawk owl, Apollo, flew in with a package. She removed the parcel, and read the following note.

> > > _Happy Birthday, Lily! _
>>> 
>>> _I hope you like this! _
>>> 
>>> _Sirius and I are going to Flamel Park today. Would you like to come? Sirius is going to ask Fiona. Give your reply to Apollo. If you can come, meet me at Sirius' house. _
>>> 
>>> _James _
>>> 
>>> _p.s. _
>>> 
>>> _I'm sorry that Apollo awoke you. _
>>> 
>>> _p.p.s _
>>> 
>>> _It's a Dragon's Lair. _

While Apollo watched, Lily opened the package and revealed a cloudy, glass globe. She attempted to stare into its depths, but only saw pink tinged clouds swirling about. So she gently shook the sphere. The clouds swirled and eddied faster, and then turned orange. Suddenly, the clouds pulled back and disappeared to reveal a blue, very realistic appearing dragon in a forest by a lake. The sun was shining down upon the scene. The dragon unfurled its wings, sent forth a jet of fire, and flew off. Immediately, the clouds reappeared and obscured the view. Then the globe cleared again, but the scene had changed. It was that of a dazzling, nighttime sky in which a spectacular meteor shower was the centrepiece. Below the heavens, there was a castle with red and gold pennants waving in the wind. A blue dragon perched upon the highest tower. It spat out brilliant, red-orange flames, and the clouds swam back into view.

"Wow," Lily exclaimed, softly.

She grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill to write a brief note to thank James for the present. Also, she informed him that she would be able to go to Flamel Park.

*******

A few hours later, Lily waited patiently for Kendra and Fiona to arrive.

"Lily, are you sure you do not want to wear something warmer? The weatherman predicted thundershowers for this afternoon."

"It's okay, Mum. I'm quite warm in this shirt." Lily wore a grey and red sweatshirt with a hood, and an old pair of cut-off jeans.

Zinnia gazed at her daughter sceptically. "All right."

Petunia, age sixteen, coldly stared at Lily. "Miss Think She's So Pretty just wants the boys to gawk at her legs."

"_Shut up_, Petunia," Lily rounded on her.

"It's true, isn't it? That's why you've been getting those presents, because you probably have been showing a lot of skin at that dratted freak school you go to."

"That's _enough_, Petunia. Today is your sister's birthday! Please try to be nice."

Petunia ignored her mother. "So, what will you get for showing off your legs to the boy freaks at your school?"

Lily glared at Petunia with her hands clasped tightly into fists.

"Petunia, I said, that's _enough_!"

"Mother, Lily is nothing but an abnormal, little whore."

"PETUNIA!"

Lily rushed up to Petunia and slapped her hard across the face. Immediately, a fight ensued, with the girls bumping into furniture while Zinnia attempted to pull them apart.

Wondering what the commotion was about, Wesley entered the scene and roughly pulled the girls apart.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE?"

Lily and Petunia's eyes remained angrily locked onto each other.

"Lily, Kendra will be here in any minute. Go up to your room and cool off until she gets here," Wesley ordered, and then turned to Petunia.

"I'm not going to even _ask_ who started this, Petunia, because I already know the answer from the look on your mother's face. But, I am _very_ interested in knowing how this latest little fracas between you two started. Go to my study and wait until I arrive."

Petunia stormed off while mumbling to herself.

Lily went upstairs to wait for Kendra and Fiona.

Several minutes later, Zinnia called for Lily, and she ran downstairs. Lily hastily bade farewell to her parents as she ran out the door.

*******

Kendra drove to an inconspicuous location from where they travelled, via Portkey, to Perseus Vale. After they arrived in the small town, they walked up to a brick bungalow and knocked on the large door. A woman with blonde hair answered and welcomed them inside.

After the introductions, Lily surveyed the surroundings. A Great Dane bounded into the room, and, without warning, leapt onto Lily and knocked her to the floor. The large dog exuberantly began licking her face.

"No, Kane! Bad dog!" Mrs. Black admonished. "Sirius! Sirius, come and get Kane!"

Lily struggled to get up while the dog continued to lick and slobber on her face. "_Yuck_!"

James and Sirius ran into the room and pulled Kane off Lily. She stood, and wiped her face off with her sleeves while Kane made another attempt to lick her face. Fiona, Kendra, and Mrs. Black laughed at Kane's antics.

"Here, let me show you to the bathroom so you can wash Kane's slobbery kisses from your face."

Sirius' mother led Lily into a bathroom and gave her a face towel. "When you're done, spray this on your face, and then this." She handed Lily a large, green, spray bottle labelled, "Boyle's All Purpose Bacteria Destroyer" and a small, pink, spray bottle labelled, "Kari Mae No Fuss No Muss Instant Makeup Appliqué."

*******

About fifteen minutes later, Lily, James, Fiona, and Sirius arrived in Flamel Park by Portkey.

Lily looked around in wonder. It appeared that they arrived in a miniature amusement park in which a carousel dominated the scene. The carousel consisted of life-like versions of Pegasus, unattached by a pole, neither top nor bottom. The winged horses seemed to hover in midair. Around and around, they occasionally flapped their wings while bobbing up and down on invisible waves.

James slipped his hand into Lily's. "D'you want to go on the carousel?"

In a state of semi-awe, she murmured, "Yes."

"Then what are we waiting for?" said Sirius imperiously.

Dodging little wizards and witches running about pell-mell, they made their way over to the carousel, with Lily and James holding hands. When the carousel stopped to let the passengers off, Lily, James, Sirius, and Fiona hopped onto the platform. Sirius leapt onto one winged horse, and Fiona took the one beside it. Lily selected one behind Fiona.

"Here, Lily, let me share with you."

"Erm, all right." Lily created space for James to climb up behind her.

Lily, feeling a bit awkward, searched for a set of reins but there were none. She grabbed a handful of mane just as the carousel started moving. James wrapped his arms around her waist. Heat flooded her face.

"Erm, your hair smells nice."

"Thanks," Lily murmured, with face burning.

"Can I touch it?"

"What?"

"Can I touch your hair?"

"Erm, all right."

Lily felt him gently stroking her hair.

"It's so incredibly soft, like silk," he whispered.

"Lily, can you make me a promise?"

"I don't know. What do I have to promise?"

"That you will never, ever cut your hair for as long as the earth stays round."

She giggled. "Okay, silly James, I promise I will never, ever cut my hair for as long as the earth stays round."

"Erm, I don't think that is a good enough promise. How about this? Promise me that you will never, ever cut your hair for as long as the earth stays round and for as long as that bloody chipmunk remains around Professor Chloride's neck."

Lily laughed. "I promise I will never, ever cut my hair for as long as the earth stays round and for as long as that bloody chipmunk remains around Professor Chloride's neck."

"One more. Promise me, Lily, that you will never, ever cut your hair for as long as the earth stays round, for as long as that bloody chipmunk remains around Professor Chloride's neck, and for as long as SIRIUS BREAKS WIND IN HIS SLEEP."

Sirius, without turning, yelled, "I heard that, Prongs."

Lily laughed so hard she nearly slipped off the winged horse.

Still laughing, she stammered, "I promise to never, ever, cut my hair for as long as the earth stays round, for as long as that bloody chipmunk remains around Professor Chloride's neck, and for as long as Sirius breaks wind in his sleep."

After her laughter subsided, she said, "James, you're such a silly fellow. Why are you so silly?"

"Erm, because I love to hear your laugh."

Lily blushed, and, shortly afterwards, the carousel stopped.

They spent the next hour strolling about Flamel Park. They sampled a variety of foods and played games such as Sling-A-Gnome, Quill Toss, and Crazy Cauldron. Between the four of them, they won a total of six unusual prizes.

"Let's get a cone," suggested Fiona as they approached an ice cream stand.

They each purchased an ice cream. Afterwards, they found a place to sit near the edge of a small lake.

Lily watched the rowboats while licking her strawberry-chocolate-peanut butter-marshmallow ice cream.

"We should go rowing," said Sirius while gazing at the lake with a dreamy expression on his face.

"Splendid idea, Padfoot."

"Padfoot?" Fiona frowned slightly.

"Yup. That's just a name James, Peter, and Remus call me."

"Oh," said Fiona. "How come they call you 'Padfoot'?"

"Erm, because I like big dogs."

"Oh."

"So, James, why does Sirius call you Prongs?" Lily took a large bite out of her ice cream.

"I like antlers."

"_What_? _Antlers_?" Lily gazed at him suspiciously.

James grinned. "Come, let's go rowing." He grabbed Lily by the hand, and pulled her to her feet.

The four of them headed to the dock on the opposite side of the lake. Once they reached the dock, Lily and James took one boat, and Fiona and Sirius another.

"Bye! See you two in an hour!" James exclaimed.

They directed their boats, without oars or paddles, in opposite directions.

Feeling the boat gliding on the gentle waves, Lily gazed at the scenery passing serenely by and thought how peaceful everything seemed.

The miniature amusement park with its bright and gaudy colours was on the south end of the lake. In the distance, from the direction of the amusement park, Lily could hear the carousel music and joyful shouts of small children. The east and north ends of the lake were bordered by a dense canopy of deciduous trees, emerald green in the summer sun. The west end was slightly hilly with trees lightly scattered about. There was also a small meadow full of yellow and white flowers bending in the light breeze. White, billowing clouds with dark bases climbed, in the distant west, toward the heavens. Small, white clouds in the shape of popcorn dotted the rest of the azure sky.

Lily reached over the side of the boat, and put her hand in the lake. She enjoyed the pleasant sensation of the water streaming between her fingers.

"It's a lovely day to turn fifteen, eh?" said James softly, startling Lily from her reverie.

She smiled, and gazed into his dark eyes. Instinctively, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

With face flushed, she whispered, "Thank you for the lovely day."

With a tender expression on his face, he reached out to touch her hair. Then, as Lily closed her eyes, he kissed her gently on the mouth.

"Mummy! Mummy, look! They're kissing!"

"Timmy! How many times do I have to tell you that it is rude to stare at people? Now, stop it this instant!"

Startled, Lily and James glanced to their left and saw a woman and a small, redheaded boy of about five years of age gliding past them. The boy stared at them intently with his mouth agape. Lily and James looked at each other and laughed.

About a half hour later, they met Sirius and Fiona at the dock and prepared to leave the park. The sky had clouded up and threatened to rain. Occasionally, they heard a low, throaty rumble of thunder.

"We better get to the Portkey quick or we're going to end up with a soaking," Sirius exclaimed while worriedly glancing up at the turbulent sky.

"Let's make a run for it," suggested Lily.

"All right, but let's do it now," James ordered as each boy took a girl's hand.

They dashed through the park, but the clouds opened up before they reached their destination. In a matter of seconds, they were drenched. They reached the Portkey during a particularly loud clap of thunder.

*******

On the fifteenth of July, an owl delivered the following letter to Lily.

> > > _Dear Miss Evans, _
>>> 
>>> _Congratulations! _
>>> 
>>> _You have been selected to represent Gryffindor as a Hogwarts Prefect. The role of a Prefect is that of leadership and responsibility. As a Prefect, you will be responsible for upholding the school code, assisting with enforcing the rules, and encouraging your fellow students to be their best by modelling the appropriate behaviour. _
>>> 
>>> _Each week, on Wednesdays after your last lesson of the day, you will attend a Prefect meeting in which the Head Boy and Head Girl preside. In these meetings, you will discuss various issues pertaining to the school, specifically ways to improve instruction and deportment. Also, you will offer ideas to the teaching staff. At times, you will be required to work closely with one of the professors. Also, you may be requested to assist the Headmaster with troubles that may arise. Your first meeting will be held at 4:15 P.M. on the 15th of September. _
>>> 
>>> _The following is a list of your fellow fifth year Prefects. _
>>> 
>>> _Sirius Black, Gryffindor _
>>> 
>>> _Toby Brentwood, Hufflepuff _
>>> 
>>> _Catherine Indigo, Ravenclaw _
>>> 
>>> _James Potter, Gryffindor _
>>> 
>>> _Severus Snape, Slytherin _
>>> 
>>> _Tara Yolke, Slytherin _
>>> 
>>> _Anthony Zephyr, Ravenclaw _
>>> 
>>> _This year's Head Boy and Head Girl are Frank Longbottom (Gryffindor) and Margaret Barber (Hufflepuff). _
>>> 
>>> _Again, congratulations on your selection! _
>>> 
>>> _Sincerely, _
>>> 
>>> _Minerva McGonagall _
>>> 
>>> Minerva McGonagall,
>>> 
>>> _Deputy Headmistress _
>>> 
>>> _Note: Enclosed is your Prefect badge. It must be worn at school at all times_.

Lily ran downstairs shouting, "Mum, Dad, I've been made a Prefect."

*******

In mid-August, Lily and Fiona met James, Sirius, and Peter in Diagon Alley. Lily felt apprehensive while shopping for her school things, with last year's dementor visit still fresh in her mind. Before they left Diagon Alley, Lily purchased a snowy owl from Eeylops Owl Emporium.

*******

Zinnia entered Lily's room. Lily was in the process of packing her belongings; in three days, she would return to Hogwarts.

"Here, honey, don't forget your dress."

"Oh dear! Thanks, Mum. I almost _did_ forget it." She took the frilly black dress robe with white lace trim from her mother and draped it across the top of her trunk.

Snowball meowed while staring intently at Heidi, Lily's snowy owl. Heidi hooted in reply, and then owl and cat hooted and meowed, respectively, back and forth at each other. Lily shook her head and wondered what was up with those two.

Zinnia softly closed the door to the room, and then sat on her daughter's bed. Lily glanced up at her with a questioning expression on her face.

"Come, let's you and I have a talk."

She patted the space on the bed next to her.

"Erm, all right."

Lily, puzzled, rose from the floor and joined her mother on the bed.

"Honey, you're growing up. In a few short years, you will come of age. Since you have been at Hogwarts, you have spent most of your time in the magical world, even when you are here. All of your friends now are the ones you met at Hogwarts. Sweetheart, you should try to make some friends outside Hogwarts."

Feeling defensive, Lily frowned. "Mum, Muggles don't like people like me. They think we're evil."

"Lily, that simply isn't true. All of us aren't like that. Your Dad and I don't feel that way, and I am sure that there are many others like us. Don't judge us all by Petunia and her friends' attitude. I really want you to try to make some friends outside of Hogwarts, Muggle friends like your Dad and me. Since you have been at Hogwarts, I noticed that you seem to have no interest in Muggles."

"Mum, it's hard. I don't go to school with them. Remember? How am I supposed to make friends? Petunia isn't going to share her friends with me, or even introduce me to _their_ friends. What am I supposed to do?"

Zinnia sighed. "I know it's hard, but do try to get out more. When you are home for the holidays, you only spend your time here, at home, or with Fiona. There are many clubs you could join, that may be of some interest to you. You can meet some nonmagical girls and boys of your age, and have something to look forward to during the holidays."

"But, Mum, I _like_ spending time with my Hogwarts friends. Fiona is my best friend! If I join some club and make new friends, then what about Fiona? She knows hardly anything about Muggles! They would tease her dreadfully!"

"Honey, Fiona doesn't have to join with you. I'm only asking that you consider making friends apart, separate from your magical friends."

"Mum, I _like_ my magical friends! I _want_ to spend time with them! My Muggle friends abandoned me when they found out that I was a witch! Remember, Mum? My former best friend dropped me like hot potato when she found out that I was a witch! I don't _want_ to try again!"

"Lily, special daughter of mine, please listen to me! I _worry_ about you! I'm afraid that I am going to lose you forever to that magical world."

Lily was stunned. "Why, Mum? Why do you worry about losing me?"

"Sweetheart, you spend almost all of your time in that magical world. When you are there, I don't really know what is going on in your life. You're my daughter, and I love you! I am afraid that you will marry some wizard and leave our lives forever. I just don't want to lose you, honey!"

"Mum, you're not going to lose me! I promise!" Lily, with tears spilling down her cheeks, embraced her mother. "If I marry a wizard, I will never forget you, even if I am living in a magical town like Hogsmeade. I will visit you and Dad often. You'll both _tire_ of me!"

Zinnia hesitatingly smiled, and then softly said, "I'll _never_ tire of you, dear heart."

*******

"BONES, SYDNEY."

A slight, brown-haired boy took the sorting hat and placed it on his head.

"RAVENCLAW."

"Urgh! What's his problem?"

"Hmmmm?" Lily half-listened to Fiona while attempting to memorize as many first year names and faces as possible.

"Lily, will you please pay attention?" Fiona snapped. "_Look at Snape_."

She glanced over at the Slytherin table and spotted Snape gazing in her direction.

"Just ignore him, Fi."

"But doesn't it bother you the way he's always watching you?"

"Yes, but I try to ignore him. Oh, look, James and Sirius are waving at us."

Lily and Fiona waved enthusiastically at James and Sirius sitting at the far end of the table on the opposite side from where they were seated. James glanced around, and then blew a kiss at Lily. She pretended to catch it.

"Ohhh, how sweet, but I reckon big-nosed Snape didn't like that," remarked Fiona.

Lily looked over at Snape and observed him glaring in James' direction.

"Does Snape know you like James?"

"Erm, I would think so," she answered, slowly. "If he didn't know before, he should know now."

During the next twenty minutes, they concentrated their attention on the Sorting Ceremony.

"RIDGECREST, HORATIO JUNIOR."

"It's Raina's brother," said Fiona in a hushed voice.

"HUFFLEPUFF."

The Hufflepuffs broke into a thunderous applause and stood as Raina's brother trotted to the table.

"That was nice of the Hufflepuffs," Lily commented once the applause wound down.

*******

"Welcome to the first Prefect meeting of the year," Professor McGonagall announced in a business-like fashion.

"I normally do not attend these meetings as they are presided by the Head Boy and Girl. As you know, from the letter you received, Frank Longbottom and Margaret Barber are this year's Head Boy and Head Girl."

"Hooray, Frank!" Sirius banged his fists on the table three times.

"Mr. Black, please _do_ try to control your enthusiasm."

A few Prefects chuckled at Sirius' mock contrite expression.

"Placed before you is an amended list of Hogwarts' rules."

A rustling of parchment was heard throughout the room as the students picked up the list and began to scan it.

"For the new Prefects, the number beside each rule reflects the _maximum_ amount of points that can be removed from a house. You aren't allowed to subtract more points than indicated."

James leaned toward Lily, sitting beside him, and whispered, "Have you noticed that McGonagall's bum projects farther out than normal?"

Lily did not reply for she was attempting not to laugh.

"What was that?" whispered Sirius.

"Don't you think McGonagall's bum sticks out a bit more than normal?"

"Come to think of it, it does. Never noticed that before. It could almost be used as a tray or table, don't you think? Place a chessboard on it, eh?"

Shaking with mirth, Lily clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Oy, I have an advert." Switching to an announcer's voice, James continued, "Tired of having to look for a tray when you are out and about? Presenting: The McGonagall On-The-Go Bum Tray. Simply snap your fingers and the McGonagall On-The-Go Bum Tray will _instantly_ appear for you to place your things. Only ten Sickles! Buy now, and we'll throw in a McGonagall Sucking-On-A-Sour-Lemon Doll."

Unable to contain herself, Lily burst into gales of laughter.

Professor McGonagall glared at Lily with pursed lips. "Miss Evans, may I ask what you find so amusing?"

Lily struggled to compose herself. James and Sirius arranged their faces into innocent expressions.

"Erm, nothing, Professor."

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Black, I imagine that one or both of you instigated Miss Evans' disruptive outburst, as normally she behaves quite sensibly. Now, I would appreciate it if you three would pay attention, and, please, _no more disruptions_.

"Before I was rudely interrupted, I was stating that for those of you who have never noticed, the Prefects have their own table in the Great Hall, and it is located just below the High Table. You are required to sit at it on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The reason being is so that the rest of the students can learn to recognise the Prefects, Head Boy, and Head Girl by face alone. The rest of the days, you may sit at your house table, if you wish.

"In addition to the Prefects having their own table, they also have their own bathrooms. Longbottom and Barber will show you their location after supper."

The meeting continued for another ten minutes before adjourning.

"Let's go visit Hagrid. We have time before supper," James suggested in a corridor.

"Splendid idea, Prongs."

"Erm, he wouldn't mind?" Lily ventured.

"Hagrid? No, not at all," replied James.

They eventually reached Hagrid's wooden house, and knocked on the door. The door swung open, presenting Hagrid's massive frame.

"James! Sirius! About time yeh came fer a visit! Thought yeh two had fergotten about me. C'min! C'min!"

Lily followed the boys inside.

"Well, isn't one of yeh goin' ter introduce me?"

"Oh. Yeah. Hagrid, this is Lily," said James.

"Hullo." Lily extended her right hand to Hagrid.

Hagrid gently shook her whole arm. "Pleased to meet yeh."

With eyes twinkling and great beard twitching, he glanced back and forth between James and Lily. Then he winked at James. "All right, James?"

Red spots appeared on James' cheeks, and Lily blushed.

"Hagrid, old chum, what have you been up to lately?"

"Just planted some cucumbers in the garden a few days ago, Sirius. Did yeh notice them? They're gettin' alon' fine. Would yeh three like a cup of tea? I also made some ginger biscuits."

"Erm..." Lily began.

"No. No. Bad idea," James frantically whispered in her ear.

"Erm, no thanks, we're fine. Thanks for offering, sir."

"Are yeh sure yeh don't want any tea? It's Earl Grey. Nice flavour. Got it from a Muggle. Oh, by the way, Lily, yeh don't have to call me 'sir.'"

Lily observed that Hagrid kept furtively glancing toward a particular corner of the room. She looked in the direction in which his eyes kept darting and spotted a snake staring at them from above the rim of a woven basket.

"Hagrid! You have a snake in your house!" exclaimed Lily.

"Oh, yeah, well, it's harmless. It's jus' a baby."

"What kind of snake is it? Could we take a closer look?" said James.

"Er, well, that's not necessary. It's jus' an ordinary snake."

Ignoring him, James walked over to the basket with Lily and Sirius in tow. All three gasped in surprise when they peered into it. It was a chimera! The head of the creature was that of a lion cub. A goat's head protruded from the middle of its back, and instead of a tail, it had a snake. The lion and goat heads were asleep.

"Hagrid, where did you _get_ this?" said Sirius in a tone full of admiration.

"Won her. Isn't she sweet?"

Lily doubted it. The lion head had awakened, and was glaring at them as though they had greatly disturbed it. Low, menacing growls emanated from its throat.

"Er, Hagrid, it will not attack any of us, will it?" Sirius backed slightly away from the basket.

"No! Of course not! Bunny is just a harmless baby," said Hagrid with misty eyes.

"Bunny is _growling_ at us," remarked Lily sceptically.

"It's all right. She's just teethin'."

James reached in to touch Bunny, the chimera. The lion head snapped at his fingers, missing them by a few millimetres, while the snake attempted to coil around his forearm. The goat head remained asleep.

"Now, James, don't yeh tease her!"

"I wasn't! I just wanted to touch it."

"Well, Bunny's in a moody stage right now, so it would be best if yeh wouldn't try ter touch her."

"Erm, we better go now. Supper will be served in about seven minutes. We're supposed to be at the Prefect table," said Sirius as the goat head slowly opened its eyes.

On the way out the door, Hagrid stopped them. In a low voice, he said, "Why don't yeh three do me a favour, eh?"

"Sure. What is it?" replied James.

"Er, don't tell anyone about Bunny, all right?"

**---------**

_**Note: ** As you have probably noticed, my description of a chimera differs slightly from J.K. Rowling's (Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them). I based my description on what I learned from legend in Greek Mythology lessons._


	21. Spider Web

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XXI: _Spider Web_**

"I think the penalties for rule-breaking should be stiffer." Snape's eyes furtively darted over in James' direction. "There are always a few who feel that the rules are beneath them. My suggestion is that the rules should be changed so that if a student breaks the same rule more than once, that student would be expelled." Snape sat down. 

Many of the prefects shook their heads at Snape's proposal, with a few muttering that his idea was too harsh.

Karis Chung, a sixth year Gryffindor, stood. "Don't you think that would be a bit unfair and inflexible, Severus? Do you honestly believe that it would be fair to expel a student for, say, running in the corridors? Running in the corridors is against the rules." Chung returned to her seat.

Most of the prefects nodded their heads at Chung's counter-argument.

"If the students know the penalty for breaking a rule more than once would result in expulsion, don't you think that rule-breaking would be significantly reduced?"

Tara Yolke stood beside Snape and haughtily stated, "I agree with Severus. If the penalties for rule-breaking were much harsher, there would be less rule-breaking."

"Come, now. Both of you are talking as if Hogwarts has a serious problem with rule breaking, as though there is a mutiny going on," chimed in Donald Orb, a seventh year.

"Typical of a Hufflepuff to provide us with a shallow response," sneered Snape.

The assembled group reacted angrily to Snape's remark.

"Snape!" Margaret Barber, Head Girl, strode purposefully over to the table at which Snape was seated and stood in front of him. "I will _not_ tolerate you belittling the members of my house! If you disagree with someone's viewpoint, then say so. But don't you _dare_ insult any of us or you can leave this room."

"I stand by Maggie," asserted Frank Longbottom, Head Boy. "It's your choice, Snape: be civil or leave."

"Margaret, I apologise if I offended your House. I meant that the penalties should be modified for those few students who act as though the rules were not meant for them, not changed for the entire student body," Snape responded in an oily voice.

"Very well, Severus, I guess you may have a point." Margaret returned to her seat.

Sirius, underneath his breath, referred to Snape as a certain part of the anatomy closely associated with the human excretory system.

"So, how _should_ Hogwarts deal with students who frequently break the rules?" Frank addressed the group.

"Why not deal with them on a case by case basis?" James suggested while rising from his chair. "I think it would be unfair to _automatically_ expel a student for breaking _any_ rule more than twice."

Lily jumped to James defence. "I agree with James. It would be awful to expel a student for being caught running in the corridors more than once, don't you think? Perhaps expelling a student should only be limited to breaking one of the major rules or many rules more than once. But, Hogwarts _already_ expels students for this type of rule breaking, so really there is no need to change the penalties." Lily took her seat.

"Hear! Hear! Listen to the voices of reason, compassion, fairness, kindness, justice...."

"That's enough, Sirius," Margaret said, annoyed.

"All right," said Frank. "We've heard both sides of this issue. Let's vote on it. All those who agree with Severus' proposal, light your wands green. All those who believe that the penalties for rule breaking should remain unchanged, light your wands red. If the majority agrees with Severus' idea, the proposal will be forwarded to Professor McGonagall. Let's vote."

Lily glanced around and observed that, like hers, most of the prefects' wands were red.

"Well, it appears that the vast majority of us believe that the penalties for rule infractions should remain unchanged. I have nothing further to add. Unless Maggie has something to say, I guess we can call this meeting to an end." Frank looked over at Margaret, who shook her head. "All righty then. This meeting is adjourned. Bye, folks. See you at supper!"

With an ugly expression on his face, Snape leapt from his chair; strode rapidly across the room with his black robe billowing behind him; flung open the door so violently that a painting fell from the wall; and stepped into the corridor. Yolke and the rest of the Slytherin prefects quickly followed on his heels.

"Lily, d'you think that was really necessary for him to do?" said Sirius smirking in the direction of the Slytherins' receding backs.

"No," replied Lily distractedly, while stuffing notes into her bag. "Are we going to visit Hagrid today? We haven't seen him since the end of September. It's now the seventh of November. His feelings are probably hurt by now."

"Yes, you're right. Let's go see him now that we have some time," agreed James as they entered the corridor.

"Erm, I can't," Sirius said.

"Why not, Padfoot?"

"I promised Fiona I would spend more time with her. She's been a bit, er, upset with me lately."

"Oh. All right. Lily and I will go on without you. I'm sure Hagrid will understand."

They separated at the next intersection of corridors, with Sirius appearing slightly angry.

Just before they approached the castle doors leading outside, James grabbed Lily by the hand and pulled her into an empty classroom.

Puzzled, Lily exclaimed, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just realised something."

"What?"

"Well, erm, we haven't, er, kissed since this summer. That was a long time ago."

"Oh." Lily blushed.

"May I?"

"Erm, all right."

James pushed her gently against the wall, and they kissed. They continued for a few minutes until interrupted.

"NAUGHTY, NAUGHTY PREFECTS SNOGGING IN THE CLASSROOM," chanted Peeves in a singsong voice.

James pulled out his wand and said, "_Waddiwasi_!" 

A box of chalk shot into the air, straight into Peeves' wide-open mouth. Mumbling angrily, the annoying poltergeist zoomed away.

Lily laughed. "That was brilliant! How did you come up with that spell?"

"Erm, I'll show you how to do it one day, Tiger Lily. But now, we must go see Hagrid."

*******

They reached Hagrid's house, and knocked on the door.

Lily whispered, "I hope Bunny is asleep."

The door opened slightly, and Hagrid peeked out. "Oh! It's yeh two. Er, come in. Er, careful there though. Bunny isn' too keen on strangers."

Lily and James cautiously stepped into Hagrid's house, but remained near the door. Bunny immediately began growling at them, with the snake tail spitting and hissing. Lily noted that Bunny was three times larger than she had last seen it. The chimera had grown to about the size of a Saint Bernard.

"Er, Hagrid, Bunny isn't going to attack us, is she?" James said while worriedly staring at Bunny, who was stealthily approaching them from the opposite side of the room.

"Course, not! Bunny knows that yeh're my friends. Don't yeh, Bunny, my precious, baby angel?"

Lily glanced sharply at Hagrid with a flabbergasted expression on her face. Bunny was crouched like a cat preparing to pounce.

"Erm, Hagrid...." James began, and then Bunny leapt.

Without thinking, Lily whipped out her wand as the chimera sprang towards her and James, and shouted, "_Obrigesco_," at the same time as James yelled, "_Retroago_." Bunny stiffened at the same time as she was driven back against the opposite wall.

"WHAT HAVE YEH DONE TO ME BUNNY?"

Hagrid ran over to where Bunny was lying in a heap, and started sobbing stormily. "Oh, yeh poor baby. Mummy is so sorry! Mummy didn' know they were goin' to do that! My poor angel!"

Lily and James briefly gazed at each other with identical expressions of disbelief on their faces, and then cautiously walked over to Hagrid.

"Er, Hagrid, we didn't mean to hurt her, but she was about to _attack_ us," James finally ventured.

"How could yeh, James? Bunny wouldn' have hurt yeh or Lily. Bunny wouldn' hurt a fly! She was jus' playin' with yeh. Now, look what yeh've done to my baby!"

Hagrid moved aside while pulling a small table-sized cloth from his pocket. He blew his nose into it as Lily and James edged in for a closer view.

Lily stifled a giggle. Bunny was lying on the floor, on her back, with all four legs sticking stiffly into the air. The chimera was also whimpering, with the goat and lion heads staring sorrowfully at Hagrid from awkward angles.

"Erm, she's fine, Hagrid," James responded in a strangely high voice.

"She's not!" Hagrid sobbed. "Now, put her back the way she was!"

Lily and James glanced at each other.

"Er...." began James.

"YEH CAN'T LEAVE HER LIKE THIS!"

"Well, all right, but hold her so that she doesn't try to attack us again," yielded James reluctantly.

"We'll fix her from the door," Lily quickly added.

Lily and James walked to the door.

"It's all righ', Bunny. They're goin' ter fix yeh," Hagrid sniffed.

"Er, should I do it or you?" James looked at Lily.

"You do it, while I open the door."

"Okay. Ready?"

"Ready."

James lifted his wand and said, "_Reversi_!"

The chimera swiftly rose to her feet and ejected flames from her lion mouth. The flames narrowly missed Hagrid's head. Bunny then spotted Lily and James, growled, and made a sprint for them. Lily and James jumped outside the door and slammed it shut. They heard a muffled thud from the inside as the chimera made contact with the solid wood.

As they headed up to the castle, Lily remarked, "Hagrid is a bit daft about Bunny, don't you think?"

*******

At the end of Ancient Runes, Fiona hastily began to stuff, seemingly with difficulty, her things into her book bag.

"Fi? Are you all right?" Lily said as Fiona's Charm textbook, parchment, quills, and inkpot clattered to the floor. The inkpot shattered.

Fiona screamed in frustration as Lily bent to pick up the school items.

"Is everything all right over here?" Professor Avia said while gazing disapprovingly at the expanding puddle of ink on the floor.

"Yes, Professor," replied Lily while starting to clean up the ink.

"Very well then." Professor Avia returned to her desk.

In the corridor, on their way to drop their bags off in the common room before lunch, Lily repeated her question to Fiona.

Frowning, Fiona retorted, "Sirius."

"Huh?"

"He spends more time with James than with me! I'm _supposed_ to be his girlfriend, but he spends more time with _James_ than with me."

"Well, erm, Fi, James and Sirius are best friends, like us. We spend more time with each other than with them."

"But at least you spend more time with James than I spend with Sirius. All three of you are prefects; I'm not. You three spend time together at the Prefect meetings once a week, and sit together at the bloody prefects' table _three_ times a week. Sirius spends more time with _you_ than with me, Lily! I see you three over there at your table laughing and having a good time, and I feel left out."

"Fi, I'm sorry. It's not Sirius' fault about the meetings and sitting at the Prefect table. We have to."

"That _still_ doesn't explain why he spends so much time with James, even when he isn't at a meeting or having to sit at the prefects' table. We're in the _same_ house. They're in the _same_ dormitory. Sirius and James have _all_ of their classes together! Sirius sees James _all the time_. He could _try_ to spend more time with me. Just this morning, I asked him if he would meet me at the lake after dinner, and he said that he couldn't. Why? Because he had to work on some project with James and Peter. I bet they're just going to come up with some more pranks to play on people." A tear slid down her cheek as they entered the common room.

"Oh, Fi, I don't think he's deliberately trying to avoid you. Perhaps he _does_ have an important project to work on."

"I asked him if I could help and he said no, like it was some kind of secret," Fiona sniffed as they entered their room.

"James is nicer than Sirius. At least he _tries_ to spend time with _you_. You're lucky to have him, Lily."

Lily, feeling uncomfortable, was at a loss for words.

***** **

The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws' eyes were on tiny Professor Flitwick standing on the platform in the Duelling room.

"In a moment, Professor McGonagall and I will go around and randomly divide you into quads. Each pair will duel against the other. We will also assign seconds. Everyone understand?"

The students nodded their heads.

"All right." Professor Flitwick jumped off the platform.

"I hope all of us end up together," commented James.

"D'you mean you, Lily, Sirius, and Peter or Remus?" Fiona replied, scathingly.

James glanced at Fiona with a baffled expression on his face. "No."

"Ohhhh. So, you hope that you, Sirius, Peter, and Remus will end up together?"

James gazed at Fiona with an annoyed expression on his face. "Have I done something wrong?"

"Fiona, will you stop it?" Sirius stared angrily at Fiona.

"Stop what, Sirius?"

At that moment, Professor Flitwick approached the group. "All right. Let's see. Lupin, Tooksbit, Pettigrew, and Indigo are a quad. Pettigrew, you're Tooksbit's second. Indigo, you're Lupin's second.

"Zephyr, Evans, Black, and McKinnon, you're a quad. Evans, you're Black's second. McKinnon, you're Zephyr's second.

"Potter, Arbuckle, Green, and Wittleston, you're a quad. Potter, you're Arbuckle's second. Wittleston, you're Green's second...."

Professor Flitwick continued down the line of students.

After all of the students had been grouped, Professor McGonagall announced the rules.

"The rule of this duel is as follows: no spells involving bodily harm or injuries are allowed. This means that all spells must be reversible, meaning that they can be reversed in _this_ room, _not_ in the hospital wing. The goals are for you to learn how to effectively block spells and to disarm your opponent. Is everyone clear about the rule and purpose of this duel?"

The students murmured their understanding.

"All right. Prepare to duel. On the count of three, cast your spells."

Sirius and Anthony bowed to each other.

"ONE!

"TWO!

"THREE!"

"_Sternuo_," Anthony shouted, nearly at the same time as Sirius yelled, "_Expelliarmus_."

Anthony was thrown backwards onto the floor as his wand left his hand. Sirius caught it while sneezing uncontrollably. Fiona extended her hand to help Anthony up.

Giggling, Lily said, "Do you want a tissue, Sirius?"

Unable to speak, Sirius nodded his head vigorously.

"FINITE INCANTATEM!"

Sirius abruptly stopped sneezing.

"Very good, very good!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed. "A number of you were able to successfully disarm your opponent or block your opponent's spell. We will take a minute or two to regroup, then we will continue. If you were disarmed, your second will take your place. After all, you no longer have a weapon, eh?"

Sirius handed Lily Anthony's wand while intently watching their opponents.

"We must prepare you for the final duel," Anthony said to Fiona while playfully massaging her shoulders. He then gathered her long hair and stuffed it inside the collar of her robe.

Lily quickly glanced up at Sirius, whose face had gone rigid with fury.

"Ready, Miss Fiona, my second and only hope for redemption?"

"ONE!"

Fiona giggled. "Ready, Mr. Anthony, my brave knight."

"TWO!"

_Uh oh, this isn't good_, Lily thought while snatching a glimpse of Sirius, who had a murderous expression on his face.

"THREE!"

"_Feles_," Sirius roared at the same time as Fiona screamed, "_Ulcera_."

"FINITE INCANTATEM!"

Fiona, the cat, leaped onto Sirius, whose skin had erupted with raw, oozing lesions.

"I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed while striding rapidly towards Lily and Anthony, who were stunned; Sirius; and Fiona, the cat.

Fiona, hissing in Sirius' face, had her claws anchored in his robe.

Professor McGonagall reached them. "I _specifically_ stated that _no one_ is to use any spells that would cause harm! Forty points from Gryffindor! Evans and Zephyr please escort these abysmally foolish students to the hospital wing."

Lily attempted to pry Fiona off Sirius while trying to ignore the snickering emanating from many of the students.

"_Come on_, Fi. _Please_ let go," Lily pleaded in desperation.

With a swipe of her paw at Sirius' ulcerated face, Fiona let go and allowed Lily to carry her.

Sirius appeared as though he were in much pain. It was difficult to look at him for his face had become repulsive to the sight.

"Er, you look positively awful, Sirius," Anthony remarked as they briskly walked toward the hospital wing.

"Shut up, you bloody prat," Sirius snarled.

Fiona hissed and spat at Sirius while struggling to escape from Lily's arms.

Sirius glared balefully at Fiona and then growled, "You and I are going to have a little chat when this is over, witch."

Lily shook her head, and thought that she could not wait to dump the both of them off on Madam Pomfrey.

Later that day, in the common room before they retired, Fiona quietly told Lily that she and Sirius had made up; that Sirius had kissed her, and had promised to spend more time with her. Lily listened attentively, and wondered how long Fiona and Sirius' relationship would last.

*******

The following week, on the last day of November, Snape asked Lily to the Yule Ball.

"I'm already going with someone else."

"_Potter_?" Snape said with venom.

"Er, yes."

He swiftly turned on his heels and strode rapidly up the corridor. Before he reached the end of it, he slammed his fist against the wall.

*******

"Why don't we check on Hagrid?" suggested Sirius after their first prefects' meeting in December. "To see if he has been eaten alive by that horrid Bunny of his."

"Erm, all right, but I'm not going inside," James replied.

"Me either," said Lily.

They reached Hagrid's house, and heard thuds coming from the inside. The three of them looked at each other with apprehensive expressions on their faces. James hesitated and then rapped on the door. Immediately, they heard a roar and the sounds of large objects breaking or toppling inside. Lily, James, and Sirius backed away as one.

Hagrid peeked outside one of the curtained windows and then opened the door wide enough to allow his big, shaggy head through.

"Hullo! Er, nice day isn' it, eh?"

The snake tail managed to poke itself outside the door to hiss and spit at Lily, James, and Sirius. Venom dripped from its sharp fangs. Then it quickly retreated into the house.

"Erm, Hagrid, is everything all right?" Lily ventured as they heard several more large objects breaking and another roar from Bunny.

"Hagrid, what happened to your hand?" said James.

Lily noticed that Hagrid's right hand was completely bandaged.

"It's all righ'...just a minor burn. Bunny is at a tricky stage right now; else, I would let the three of yeh in."

Lily strongly suspected that Bunny was in a perpetual tricky stage.

"Blimey, Hagrid! Look how big she is!" exclaimed Sirius while staring over at one of the front windows.

Bunny had managed to peer out the window at them. Her lioness head had grown to that of the size of a truck tire. Apparently, Bunny did not like to be stared at, for at that moment, she opened her jaws wide and roared. She then bashed her head into the glass, cracking it.

"NO, BUNNY! BAD GIRL!" Hagrid rapidly disappeared from the door.

Bunny, still at the window, sent forth a jet of flames from her mouth. The curtains caught on fire. She then vanished from view.

"Oh my God! What a perfectly horrid creature!" James said with a stunned expression on his face.

"I think Hagrid should get rid of it before it destroys his house." Lily glanced worriedly at the cabin while listening to the thrashing noises coming from within.

"Er, don't you think we should close the door before that monster leaps out?" said Sirius.

Just then, Hagrid reappeared at the door.

"Hagrid, you've got to get rid of her," stated James.

"Yes, Hagrid, you have to! She's way too big. She needs more space. If you don't get rid of her, she's going to destroy your house," Lily pled.

"And have you for supper," added Sirius.

"I can't get rid of her! She doesn' know anything or anyone 'sides me. I'm her mummy!" exclaimed Hagrid teary eyed.

"Hagrid, you can't keep her!" James firmly responded.

"What am I gonna do, James? I can't jus' dump her! She wouldn' survive all alone."

Lily seriously doubted that.

"What if we find a nice place for her?" said James backing away, for Bunny had just leapt up behind Hagrid.

Sirius muttered, "Yeah, like in a coffin."

Hagrid hollered as the goat head rammed his leg with its horns.

"Er, get rid of it before it kills you, Hagrid," James stated grimly at the same time as Bunny let out another tremendous roar.

"Oh, all righ'. Lemme know if yeh can find a nice place for Bunny. Send me an owl. Not really safe fer yeh ter come here." He then slammed the door shut as Bunny let out a thunderous bellow.

As they walked briskly up to the castle, Sirius said, "Why in hell would Hagrid want to keep such a dreadfully, frightening creature? How does he sleep at night knowing that it is in the room with him?"

"I'll ask my dad if he has any ideas about what to do with Bunny," replied James thoughtfully.

*******

A week later, after the Prefect meeting, James informed Lily that his father and several wizards would pick up Bunny on Saturday night. The only catch was that James, Lily, and Sirius must meet them in the Forbidden Forest...with Bunny.

"Er, sounds very dangerous," Lily remarked.

"I can use my Invisibility Cloak to cover the three of us while we sneak out of the castle."

"First, we must figure out how to get Bunny without being killed," stated Sirius.

"How about placing a powerful Sleeping Charm on her?" suggested Lily.

"Excellent idea!" James grinned at Lily. "Then we could simply place a Levitation Charm on Bunny to carry her into the forest."

"Of course, Prongs, we don't want Bunny to be seen, so we will need your cloak to hide her."

"Aye, that's right. All right. I think we have a plan. This Saturday, let's meet in the common room at exactly 1:30 a.m. Er, actually that would be early Sunday. Okay?"

"All right," Lily and Sirius agreed.

"1:30. Don't forget."

"We won't," replied Sirius. 

*******

At 1:29 a.m., Sunday, Lily silently slipped out of the girls' room. She did not see James or Sirius when she entered the common room.

"Lily," whispered James while raising his Invisibility Cloak.

Lily quickly went underneath it. Slowly and silently, they exited the Gryffindor Tower and walked through the castle. Eventually, the three reached Hogwarts' main entrance. Glancing around, James opened the door. The hinges made a creaky noise.

"Who's there?" The Bloody Baron, Slytherin's ghost, floated into view.

They silently stepped outside.

"Is that you, Peeves? I warned you that I would not tolerate any more of your shenanigans. Come out! Show your stupid, sheep face or _you will regret it_."

Lily, James, and Sirius swiftly walked down the steps to the lawn. Finally, they reached Hagrid's house.

"Who wants the honours of putting Bunny to sleep?" said Sirius.

"Let Lily do it. She's the best when it comes to Charms. Are you ready?" James glanced over at Lily.

Lily nodded her head.

"All right. Here goes." James knocked on the door.

Hagrid, in a muffled voice, answered, "Who's there?"

"It's us," replied Sirius.

Hagrid opened the door. "Where are yeh? I don' see yeh!"

"We're under my Invisibility Cloak. Step aside so that we can come in."

"All right." Hagrid stepped aside.

Massive Bunny leapt onto all fours. Unable to see them, she deeply inhaled in their direction. Low rumbles emanated from her throat.

Lily raised her wand and said, "_Consupio_."

The chimera's lion and goat heads' eyes drooped, and Bunny toppled over.

James removed the cloak from them.

"Good work, Lily!" Sirius exclaimed

Hagrid began sobbing. "My poor baby! Mummy is goin' ter miss her."

"Are you two ready?"

"Yes," Lily and Sirius replied in unison.

"Say your last goodbye to Bunny, Hagrid," Sirius said.

Hagrid embraced Bunny and began wailing. "Mummy is goin' ter miss you!"

"Er, I think we better go now," said Lily.

"C'mon, Hagrid, we have to go." James attempted to lift Hagrid's small tree trunk-sized arms.

Sirius rushed over to assist James. "C'mon, chum. She'll be all right."

Hagrid walked over to the table, collapsed in a chair, and bawled stormily into his hands.

"Erm, let's go," James ordered.

The three of them pointed their wands at Bunny and said, "_Ascendo_." The chimera gently rose from the floor. Once the chimera became nearly level with Lily, James, and Sirius, James threw the Invisibility Cloak over Bunny. They stepped out the door and quietly walked toward the Forbidden Forest.

"I hope we don't meet any creatures worse than Bunny," Lily said, nervously.

They entered the forest, with ears attuned to the slightest noise.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" said Lily quietly, while trying to look everywhere at once.

"_Lumos_," James whispered. "Yes. My dad said that to just keep walking and they'll send us a signal."

"All right." Lily lit her wand, and Sirius followed suit.

They continued walking deeper into the forest while hearing stealthy crunching and sighing sounds. Something large fluttered over their heads and they gasped.

"It was an owl. Just an owl...I think," James said in a shaky voice.

A moment later, they saw flashes of red and gold directly ahead of them.

"That's my dad!"

They walked faster, and, within a very short period, approached a group of four wizards.

"Hello," exclaimed Edward Potter. "I'm impressed with the three of you. Good thinking to use the cloak to cover the chimera. Let's see it."

James removed the cloak from Bunny.

Edward and the other three wizards marvelled at the creature.

"Rare indeed. I would like to know where Hagrid obtained this creature. They are nearly extinct, and can only be found on the island of Crete," said Edward.

"He said that he won her, Mr. Potter," piped up Lily.

"Is that so? The person who gave it to him engaged in illegal transport of an endangered magical creature, worth six months in Azkaban. Very well. We will take the chimera and return it to the mountains of Crete."

Edward and the wizards, with their wands, directed Bunny into a large crate punctured with several air holes. The crate was then attached to two brooms.

"All right. We're off," said Edward.

He and the three wizards hopped onto their brooms and lifted off, with the crate holding Bunny dangling between two of them.

"James, I don't want any more owls from Dumbledore about some foolish pranks, do you hear?" Edward yelled down.

"Erm, all right, Dad," James shouted while waving up at him.

*******

A week before the Yule Ball, during breakfast, it suddenly dawned on Lily that there were only a few boys present.

"That's odd," said Lily frowning.

"What's odd?" replied Fiona.

"Look around, Fi. D'you notice anything weird, out of the ordinary?"

Fiona glanced around the Great Hall. "It appears that most of the boys have either slept in or ate earlier."

Lily shook her head. "Strange."

When they returned to the common room, they learned the reason that many of the boys had not shown up for breakfast. They stepped into the common room and were greeted with angry voices. The Gryffindor males stood around in their pyjamas or with towels wrapped around their waists. Fiona giggled. Lily elbowed her in the ribs.

Lily asked Remus, draped only in a towel, what happened.

"Someone stole our bloody clothes, _all of them_!"

"You're joking!"

"I wouldn't be standing around wearing this bloody towel if I were joking, would I, Lily?"

"I think it must have been a witch, desperate to see us men wearing hardly a stitch," yelled Oliver in a blue bathrobe wrapped tightly around him.

"Oh, _please_!" exclaimed Fiona. "Like you really have something we want to see."

Oliver narrowed his eyes and hissed, "And what do you know, Miss _Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum_?"

Fiona glared at Oliver.

"We don't mind anyone seeing us without our clothes," chimed in Elijah Craven, with a devilish expression on his face and a piece of toast in his hand.

Elijah and his best friend, Chris McDonald, were brazenly walking around in just their pants.

Lily's mouth dropped open.

"Yeah, that McGonagall screamed at us for showing up at breakfast like this. We tried to tell her that we had no clothes, but she refused to listen," said Chris.

"Then the sour-faced prude had the nerve to subtract twenty points from our house!" added Elijah.

"_ELIJAH_!" Face beet red, Daisy ran toward Elijah.

"Uh oh!" Elijah took off running, with Daisy and Chris in hot pursuit.

"I just want to get my hands on the witch or wizard responsible for this prank," said Peter in disgust. He only wore striped pyjama bottoms.

Ivy and Samantha entered the common room and noted the boys in various stages of undress. They began to giggle.

"Lily! There you are!" Karis Chung approached her. "You must come. We have an urgent meeting."

Lily followed Karis outside into the corridor. Shortly afterwards, they reached the room where an urgent Prefect meeting was being held.

"Er, everyone sit down, please!" Frank, wearing a fluffy red and white bathrobe, said.

The prefects sat, with much grumbling heard throughout the room.

"Quiet, please!" Margaret exclaimed with a smile on her face.

Frank cleared his throat. "This morning, most of us men discovered that all of our clothing had disappeared, minus the ones we happened to be wearing or draped across our beds." He frowned, and then resumed.

"The question is: who is responsible? We do know from speaking with others in our houses that we all had our clothing when we went to bed. However, when we awoke this morning, our clothes were gone. Any theories?"

"Perhaps it was a witch?" offered Toby Brentwood wearing garish, plaid pyjamas.

"That seems to be the most popular and plausible theory," Margaret replied, looking as though she were trying not to laugh.

Snape, wearing a yellow and green striped nightshirt, stood.

Lily stared down at the table while attempting not to giggle.

"I would like to know why Potter and Black seem to be the _only_ ones here who _do_ have their clothes," said Snape quietly while looking at James and Sirius.

Lily sat up with a jolt. It was true; James and Sirius were the only boys dressed.

James leapt up. "I have no idea why we have our clothes and the rest of you don't."

"Oh, really?" snarled Snape. "Couldn't this be one of your elaborate pranks, Potter?"

"What are you saying, Snape?" Sirius retorted. "That we're behind this?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying! We _all_ know about your reputation for pulling idiotic pranks on the students. I'm sure you two had a great laugh devising this one, eh?" Snape glared at James with an expression full of hostility and resentment on his face.

Lily did not believe that James and Sirius would do such a thing. She slowly rose from her chair.

"It doesn't sound right, Severus. I know James and Sirius play pranks, but this doesn't seem like something they would do."

"And who told you to say that, Lily? Potter? He seems to have an unhealthy influence on you," Snape snapped, acidly.

"That's not fair and you know it," yelled Lily.

"I would like to know why we pulled this prank," snarled Sirius, eyes flashing dangerously. "Why don't you enlighten us, Snape, seeing that you have it all figured out."

Professor McGonagall stormed into the room at the same moment as Snape opened his mouth to speak.

"We have found the culprits," Professor McGonagall stated, tersely. "Potter and Black, come with me. This meeting is adjourned. Boys, you will find your clothes in your rooms."

Bewildered, James and Sirius followed Professor McGonagall outside the room.

"I knew it," Snape said with an expression full of smug satisfaction.

Lily returned to the common room feeling awful. She could not shake the feeling that James and Sirius would not have done such a thing. They always admitted to their pranks.

*******

For the next several days, the school was abuzz with the case of the "Boys' Missing Clothing." Bertha Jorkins announced to everyone she came into contact with that the Gryffindors had lost four hundred points, and both James and Sirius received detentions. James and Sirius were also banned from the following three Prefect meetings and were not allowed to sit at the prefects' table during that period. 

*******

Two days before the Yule Ball, James asked Lily to meet him outside the library.

"Let's find an empty classroom," James said, after he and Lily met.

They found a room down the corridor; James closed the door.

"Look, Lily, I didn't do it. I didn't take _anyone's_ clothes! Someone framed me."

"I believe you, Jamie." She embraced him tight and kissed him on the cheek.

"They found a note, addressed to Sirius, discussing a plan to hide all of the boys' clothes. But I didn't write it! Even though it was in my handwriting. McGonagall showed it to me, said that it was found in the kitchens. It's true I sometimes sneak into the kitchens, _but I didn't write that note_!"

"James, how could the note be in your writing?"

"_I don't know_! McGonagall showed it to me, and it was my writing. Even the signature was mine! I tried to tell McGonagall that someone framed me, using Dark Arts or something, but she wouldn't listen. She kept asking me if it were my handwriting, and what could I say?"

Lily slowly and quietly said, "But there is only one person who knows much about the Dark Arts besides Konrad."

"Snape."

"But _why_, James? Why would he _do_ such a thing?"

"Because he's rotten!" James growled. "He _hates_ me! He's hated me for a long time."

"Why does he hate you so much? It makes no sense!"

"I don't know. He just does. Perhaps he's envious of me. That's what my dad said."

"I'm so sorry about what happened to you and Sirius," Lily said, sadly. "Is there _any_ way to prove that it wasn't you two?"

James shrugged. "If there is a way, I'm having a hard time figuring it out.

"Lily, there's more I have to tell you."

"What?"

"I can't go to the Yule Ball."

"_WHAT_? _Why_, James?"

"It's one of my punishments. Sirius can go because he wasn't the prank's mastermind, according to McGonagall."

Lily began to cry. "That is _so_ unfair! Doesn't McGonagall know that she is _also_ punishing me?"

James held her close. "I tried to tell her, but she wouldn't hear me. Listen. Go with Peter, all right? He wasn't able to find a date."

Lily pulled away from him while wiping her eyes. "That is _so_ not fair."

"Promise me, Lily, that you will go with Peter. He has no one to go to the Ball with. I was trying to find someone to go with him when all of this happened. Go with him. For me, okay?"

"All right. For you, James."

"Have a nice time at the Yule Ball," he said, quietly, and then kissed her on the forehead.

*******

At the Yule Ball, Lily wore a frilly black dress robe and sat with Peter, Sirius, Fiona, Remus, and Ivy. Sirius spent much of the time throwing murderous looks in Snape's direction, and calling Snape every known obscene and vulgar term he could possibly think of.

"Lily, would you like to dance to this number?" said Peter.

"All right."

Lily and Peter danced to the slow song. Peter was a head shorter than Lily, but she was thankful that he danced well. They danced to the next several numbers before vacating the floor.

"I'm thirsty. How about you?" Peter said.

"As I matter of fact, I am. Let's go get a butterbeer."

"Good idea."

Peter took her by the hand and led her to the refreshment area. When they reached it, they noted several Slytherins, including Snape, standing around the food and drink like sentinels.

"Er, excuse me," said Peter as he attempted to get around a large, muscular Slytherin.

The large Slytherin, blocking the butterbeers, refused to budge. "What's the password, plump fairy?"

Peter glared at the Slytherin. "Get out of my way, stinking troll."

The large Slytherin slowly advanced on Peter, who stood his ground.

"Let him be, Altair," Snape drawled.

"Here, you want a butterbeer, Pettigrew? Catch!" Snape threw a bottle of butterbeer at Peter, who deftly caught it.

Snape scowled at Peter. "Here, Lily." He handed her a butterbeer.

With a slight hesitation, she took it from him, and she and Peter returned to the table.

Lily opened her bottle and took a sip. The butterbeer seemed slightly sweeter than normal.

"It's sweet, isn't it?" Lily exclaimed to Peter.

"Erm, it tastes regular to me."

"Oh."

Lily continued to drink her butterbeer. Soon, she began to feel a little odd and slightly sick to her stomach.

"Lily, are you all right?" Peter gazed at her with a concerned expression on his face.

"I'm fine, I think...Peter, I'll be back...I'm going to the girls' toilet. I think I'm going to be ill."

Peter stared at her in alarm. "Do you want me to send Fiona when she's done dancing with Sirius?"

"No. It's all right."

Lily quickly left the hall, and ran into a girls' toilet. Locking herself in a stall, she doubled up with stomach cramps and moaned. Besides the painful cramps, she felt very strange. Suddenly, everything had a pink tinge to it. The cramps passed, but it still seemed as though she were viewing things through a pair of pink lenses. A few minutes later, her vision returned to normal. She exited the stall and gazed around in delight. The world seemed remarkably beautiful. Lily was overwhelmed with intense feelings of love, which she desperately wanted to share. She wanted to give her love to someone. So, she stepped out of the girls' toilet into the corridor.

Snape, wearing a black dress robe with a green serpent insignia on the left shoulder, leaned against the wall opposite the girls' toilet. He held a long-stemmed, red rose. He smiled crookedly when he spotted Lily.

"Hullo, Lily."

"Hi. Do you love me?"

Smiling more broadly, he handed her the rose. "The question, my Lily, is do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Come on."

He took her by the hand. Snape led her rapidly through the corridors and up many flights of stairs. Eventually, they reached a door in a deserted, unused corridor. Snape opened it and ushered Lily inside. The room was dark, save for the light from a dozen lit candles. Also, the room was crowded with old furniture, mainly bookcases and desks.

"I set this up just for you and me, Lily. Here, have a seat." He directed her to an old, mouldy couch.

Lily sat.

"You're mine, aren't you? You love me, right, Lily?"

"Yes."

"Then kiss me."

She leaned forward and kissed him, which he returned.

"Potter always takes what's mine. I loved you first. He saw that I did, so he tries to take you away from me. But you're _mine_, Lily. You belong to _me_. You and I were meant to be together. Potter is too arrogant, greedy, and spoiled for his own good. He thinks he's entitled to everything, but I'm not going to let him have you."

Snape, with his hands on her shoulders, pushed Lily back so that she was lying on the couch. He then began kissing her on the face and neck as though he had finally found water in the midst of a prolonged trek across the Sahara Desert.

"It was _I_ who sent you those gifts, Lily. It was _I_, not Potter, who sent you Merlin's Enchanted Glass, the Pacifera Painting, and the Erato Music Box," he said in a low breathy voice.

"I love you," Lily said, softly.

He continued kissing her, with increasing fervour, while surreptitiously unbuttoning her dress robe.

"_Get your slimy, filthy hands off of her_."

Snape leapt up off of Lily, and then Sirius slammed his fist into his face.

Lily sat up abruptly. Her dress robe nearly falling from her shoulders, she screamed, "What are you doing? Why are you hurting him?"

"It's okay, Lily," said Fiona reassuringly while attempting to block Lily from Sirius and Snape's views.

"_Get away from the couch before I kill you_." Sirius had disarmed Snape.

His nose bleeding profusely, Snape malevolently watched Sirius while moving away from the couch.

"What is he doing to my love?" Lily said in a plaintive voice.

"He's not your love," replied Fiona while trying to button Lily's nearly completely opened dress robe.

"But, I love him."

"No, you don't," Fiona exclaimed, trying to quickly fasten Lily's dress robe. "Lily, _please_ help me with your robe."

"Oh. All right."

"Are you two done?" said Sirius gazing unwaveringly at Snape with his wand levelled at him.

"Almost," Fiona replied.

"You're pathetic _scum_, Snape! Do you know that? First, you frame James and me, and then you try to steal James' girl. What did you use? A Love Potion? You're _sick_! I ought to kill you for what you have done."

"Sirius, we're ready."

"All right. Let me teach this vile, filthy git a lesson.

"_Petrificus Totalus_."

Snape fell heavily onto the floor. Then Sirius immediately began kicking him in his most vulnerable spots. Fury and pain could be seen in Snape's eyes.

"I'm finished." Sirius threw Snape's wand onto the floor. "Sweet dreams, Snape."

Sirius escorted Fiona and Lily to the common room.

"Er, put her to sleep or something. Then come back down so that we can brew an antidote," said Sirius.

"All right. It will only be a few minutes," Fiona replied. "C'mon, Lily."

Fiona marched Lily up the stairs to their room.

"Erm, Lily why don't you lay down?"

"I'm not tired. I'm so much in _love_!" Lily twirled around the room.

"Er, okay." Fiona grabbed Lily and pushed her onto the bed. Snowball jumped off with a meow.

Fiona pointed her wand at Lily and said, "_Sopio_."

Lily promptly fell asleep.

*******

"Lily! Lily, wake up. You must drink this."

"Mmmf, what? What's going on, Fi?" Lily said, groggily. "Where's my love?"

"Drink this, and you'll find out."

Lily took the goblet and peered into it suspiciously. "What is it?"

"It's good. You'll like it."

"It isn't going to make me sick, is it?"

"No. Just drink it, Lily."

Lily swallowed the contents of the goblet. The drink had a bitter taste. Immediately, she felt as though her insides were in revolt. Lily started moaning.

"What have you done to me, Fi?"

"It's all right. You'll feel better in a few minutes."

To Lily, everything suddenly appeared to have a green glow to it, and the room seemed to be spinning. Just as soon as it all began, it ended. Lily shook her head vigorously to clear it. She owlishly blinked a few times, and started to feel her normal self.

"What happened?"

"It's a long story; I'll tell you later. Let's get some sleep. I'm tired. Ivy, Sam, and Daisy should be here in a few."

Lily and Fiona put on their pyjamas and climbed into bed.

"'Night, Lily."

"'Night, Fi," Lily responded while cuddling Snowball close.

*******

A few hours later, in the wee hours of the morning, Lily suddenly sprang up in bed.

"OH MY GOD! FIONA! _FIONA_! WHAT HAVE I DONE? OH MY GOD!"

Fiona, Samantha, Ivy, and Daisy woke up in alarm.

"What's wrong?" Ivy mumbled.

"Fi! I'm so _ashamed_," Lily cried.

"Come on, Lily. Let's go downstairs."

"Is everything all right?" said Samantha.

"Yes. Go back to sleep," ordered Fiona.

Downstairs in the common room, Lily sobbed. "Fi, I can't believe what I have done."

"It wasn't your fault."

"I kissed him. Told him that I loved him. I let him put his hands on me, kiss me! What if James finds out?"

"Lily, it wasn't your fault! James will understand. He knows how Snape is."

"Oh God, I'm so _ashamed_, Fi."

"For the hundredth time, _it wasn't your fault_!" Fiona said in exasperation. "Snape slipped a Love Potion in your butterbeer. He must have planned the whole thing."

"How did you and Sirius find me?"

"Peter told me that you were feeling sick and went to the toilets. After awhile, I noticed that you still hadn't come back, so I went to the girls' toilet and looked around but you weren't there. I became worried, and told Sirius. Sirius then realised that Snape wasn't anywhere to be seen either. So, we went looking for you. We told Peter to stay, in case you returned.

"If it weren't for the Fat Friar, we wouldn't have found you. He happened to see you and Snape enter that room we found you in. We figured he must have given you _something_ for you to willingly follow him. It became clear when you stated that you loved him." Fiona grimaced. "What a disgusting, _putrid_, slimy worm he is." 

Lily sniffled. "Fi, it was _him_ who sent the mysterious gifts."

"No! You're _joking_. Tell me you're joking."

"I'm not."

"Where did he get the money?"

"I don't know and I don't care!"

*******

Filch discovered Snape the following day, just before lunch. Snape did not reveal who had placed the curse on him for fear that everyone would learn what he had done.

Lily was anxious to return home in two days. She begged Fiona and Sirius not to mention the incident between Snape and her to _anyone_.


	22. Fifth Year Angst

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XXII: _Fifth Year Angst_**

Wesley, Petunia, and Zinnia watched television while Lily sat on the floor placing objects into a medium-sized box. The items were the gifts Snape had given to her over the past few years: the Enchanted Glass, Pacifera Painting, and Erato Music Box. After they were sealed inside, she addressed the parcel to "Severus Snape." She stood with the package in her arms intending to walk upstairs to summon two owls to help Heidi deliver it. However, the television broadcast distracted her.

> > "We have breaking news," said the handsome anchorman grimly.
>> 
>> "We just received word of a deadly fire at Strawberry Gardens Tenement in Blairstone, Surrey." The beautiful, blonde anchorwoman picked up her cue. "Stan Utz is live on the scene."
>> 
>> She turned slightly to the monitor to her left, where the image of a reporter holding a microphone was seen against a backdrop of a flaming three-story building.
>> 
>> "Stan, what details can you provide?"
>> 
>> "Paula, I'm here on Cornwall and Starr, in Blairstone, where a deadly fire has claimed the lives of two hundred and seventeen residents of Strawberry Gardens. As you can see, behind me, fire fighters are still struggling to gain control of the fire."
>> 
>> The view switched to a close-up shot of the building. The entire structure was completely gutted with flames, with minor explosions occurring at random intervals.
>> 
>> Stan resumed. "According to the fire department, several calls were placed around 7:30 this evening about a fire on Cornwall and Starr. When the firemen arrived, the building was already completely engulfed in flames with no means of entering the structure. According to Fire Chief Mason, the heat was too intense to allow his fire fighters inside. He also stated that the building appeared to have been burned from the outside in, leaving the trapped residents no means of escape."
>> 
>> Paula broke in. "Were there _any_ survivors, Stan?"
>> 
>> "Yes, Paula. Robert Stix, the landlord, stated that there were a total of two hundred and eighty seven occupants. Precisely seventy managed to survive only because they were not present when the fire struck. There were a few residents who attempted to leap to safety, but unfortunately, they didn't make it. Fire fighters watched helplessly as a few individuals, their bodies on fire, jumped from the upper floors."
>> 
>> Mitch, the anchorman, cut in. "Stan, what was the cause of the fire?"
>> 
>> "Right now, Mitch, it is being labelled as arson. According to eyewitnesses, several male youths were seen running from the building about the time it went up in flames. They were apprehended by two off-duty policemen."
>> 
>> "Stan, have they been charged with setting the fire?" Paula adjusted her microphone.
>> 
>> "Not at this time. However, they are being held as suspects. According to Police Chief Harvey, the boys have provided sworn statements of their innocence."
>> 
>> "What were their statements?" prompted Mitch.
>> 
>> "The boys claimed they were smoking cigarettes in a vacant lot next to the building when a number of figures supposedly materialized out of thin air. These figures then branched out and walked around the building.
>> 
>> "According to the suspects, they became frightened and hid behind a rubbish bin. They watched as the mysterious figures pointed sticks at the building. Then the boys heard the phantoms say something they could not make out. At that point, the suspects stated that the building went up in flames. They heard laughter, and then a shout. One of the figures, according to the suspects, raised the stick he was holding to the sky and shouted..."
>> 
>> Stan glanced down at a piece of paper in his hands.
>> 
>> " 'Mossmodre.' The boys glanced up and beheld a large, glowing, green vapour in the shape of a skull floating in the sky above the building. Of course, no one else saw this apparition, only smoke billowing into the air from the fire."
>> 
>> Paula shook her head. "What an outlandish tale, Stan! Are they claiming some sort of supernatural experience caused the fire?"
>> 
>> "That seems to be the case, Paula. They claimed the figures vanished into thin air after the image appeared in the sky."
>> 
>> "I should hope that no one at the police station bought that rubbish," remarked Mitch. "Sounds like something straight out of science fiction!"
>> 
>> "Yes, I agree," said Stan, "and so does Chief Harvey. The youths are being held as the primary suspects in this horrific crime."
>> 
>> "Stan, have the names of the deceased been released?"
>> 
>> "Not yet, Paula. The names aren't being released until the next of kin has been notified. Also, I was told that it is going to be extremely difficult for the bodies to be identified as they were burnt beyond recognition."
>> 
>> "What about the names of the suspects, Stan?"
>> 
>> "Their names will not be released, Mitch, due to their ages. They range from thirteen to sixteen years old."
>> 
>> "All right, thank you, Stan," Paula said while shuffling some papers in front of her.
>> 
>> "This is Stan Utz reporting to you live from Blairstone, Surrey, on Cornwall and Starr, the scene of a deadly fire that has claimed the lives of two hundred and seventeen people. Back to you, Paula and Mitch."
>> 
>> "Thank you, Stan." Paula shook her head with a mock sad expression on her face. "What a terrible tragedy! All those lives...."
>> 
>> Mitch grimly added, "We feel for the survivors."
>> 
>> Paula then turned to face the home viewers. Her expression instantly brightened. "And now on to...."

Lily, trembling and standing behind the couch, leaned over and wrapped her arms around her father's neck.

"Lily?" Wesley turned to look up at her with a concerned expression on his face. "What's wrong? You're trembling."

*******

"I hope they show up soon. These two are heavy," Lily exclaimed while attempting to keep her trunk, Snowball, and Heidi on the trolley.

"Is James going to use his Invisibility Cloak to sneak Heidi in like last time?" Fiona readjusted the hood of her rain jacket.

"No. We decided to let Remus pretend that Heidi belongs to him."

"Oh."

Patiently waiting for James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter to arrive at King's Cross, they stood in the chilly January mist.

"Oy! There they are!" Fiona jumped up and down while waving an arm. "Sirius! Sirius! Over here!"

The boys reached Lily and Fiona. After greeting one another, Lily gave Heidi, in her cage, to Remus. The snowy owl gazed at Lily with her large, amber eyes as though in reproach.

"Oh, Heidi, don't look at me like that! I'm not giving you _away_."

The owl snapped her beak and ruffled her feathers indignantly.

Remus laughed and peered into Heidi's cage. "Don't worry; I'll take good care of you. Would you like an owl treat?"

Heidi hooted softly. Remus reached into his pocket to present the bird with a treat. After the owl finished the tasty morsel, she stared up at Remus with an expression seemingly of adoration. Feeling jealous, Lily turned away.

James whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, Tiger Lily, I'm still very fond of you."

Lily smiled up at him.

"Er, we better start going through the barrier now." Peter glanced at his watch. "It's about a quarter to eleven."

"Let's go in groups of twos like last time," added Sirius.

Lily and James, gripping their trolleys, approached the barrier between platforms nine and ten at a fast walk. When they arrived at the barricade, James said in a hushed voice, "Now" at the same time as a large Muggle family passed by. They entered platform nine and three-quarters.

"Let's wait here for the rest to show up," James stated.

"All right."

Peter and Remus burst onto the platform slightly out of breath. Fiona and Sirius immediately appeared behind them.

"I hope that...." began Fiona.

Sirius interrupted her. "What's _he_ doing here?"

They turned in the direction in which Sirius gazed. Konrad was striding their way with a group of Slytherins trailing behind him in single file.

Konrad reached them. "Stop gawking like a group of village idiots, and get on the train," he snapped as he walked by.

Several of the Slytherins snickered.

"Oy! Village Idiots, you heard what he said," Evan Rosier shouted as he drew level with them.

"Shut up, Rosier," snarled Sirius.

"Professor!" Damien Wilkes called out. "Sir, they're insulting us!"

Konrad stopped, and then retraced his steps. "What did I just tell you? Get on the damn train. Now!"

He turned on his heels and went back to the train entrance.

The Slytherins filed past their group. Snape, near the end of the line, brushed past. Sirius glared balefully at his back.

"Filthy slime ball," Sirius muttered.

They followed the Slytherins onto the Hogwarts Express. A few minutes later, the train started its long return journey to Hogwarts.

*******

About an hour into the trip, while they were playing a lively game of Gobstones, Konrad barged into their compartment.

"Potter, Black," barked Konrad. "Follow me."

Perplexed, James and Sirius briefly stared at each other.

"Erm, why, Professor?" James ventured. "We haven't done anything wrong, sir."

"Because I said so, Potter!" Konrad hissed. "I want you and Black out of this compartment. NOW!"

James and Sirius reluctantly gathered up their belongings, and left. Konrad slammed the door behind him, which nearly shattered the glass window set inside the frame.

"What an...." Remus referred to Konrad as a certain part of the human anatomy concerned with eliminating waste.

"Why is he so wretchedly horrible?" Fiona said to no one in particular.

"That's how all Slytherins are," replied Peter.

Stroking Snowball on her lap, Lily quietly said, "I think he's a Death Eater."

"I think so, too," Remus agreed.

"How can you tell whether or not someone is a Death Eater?" said Peter.

Fiona snorted. "Slytherin _equals_ Death Eater."

"Not _all_ Slytherins are bad," responded Remus. "Lily, why do _you_ think Konrad is a Death Eater?"

"Well, erm, he doesn't think it's wrong to call someone a Mudblood." She blushed, and then resumed. "Also, he's always defending the horrid Slytherins, even when they are guilty or wrong. He always talks highly of Salazar Slytherin, and he doesn't seem to have a problem with, erm...Lord Voldemort."

They were silent for a moment.

"Wouldn't Dumbledore know if Konrad was a Death Eater?" ventured Peter. "I mean, Dumbledore wouldn't let a Death Eater teach in Hogwarts, would he?"

"No, of course, not!" Fiona exclaimed.

"The only reason Dumbledore would let a Death Eater become a Hogwarts professor is because he wouldn't know it," replied Remus.

"So, how can you tell if someone is really a Death Eater?" Peter said. "Just because someone is horrid doesn't make that person a Death Eater."

"True," remarked Remus.

"Maybe...Maybe Death Eaters have some sort symbol they wear...I don't know." Lily frowned in thought.

"Oh!"

"What, Fiona?" Remus exclaimed.

"Haven't you noticed that some of the Slytherins wear a serpent pin on their robes? Even Konrad has one! I saw it once when he leaned over. It was hidden!"

"But, Fi, wouldn't that be too obvious?"

"No, it wouldn't. If Dumbledore asks about it, Konrad could say something like it's just a symbol for Slytherin."

"Yes, that's true," added Peter. "The Slytherin crest _is_ a serpent."

"That could be it," Remus said. "No one could ever prove that it wasn't to represent their house."

"Erm, I don't know...Perhaps," replied Lily pensively. "I still think they probably have...."

She never finished her thought for, at that moment, Konrad re-entered the compartment.

"So."

Lily, Fiona, Remus, and Peter stared up at him. Konrad then sat down next to Fiona, who slid closer to Lily, who was seated by a window.

"I do hope you boys and girls have been behaving yourselves." Konrad placed an arm on the back of the seat, directly behind Fiona. Fiona edged even closer to Lily, thereby crowding her against the window.

Remus gazed at Konrad with a combination flabbergasted, disgusted expression on his face.

"Lupin, I would strongly recommend that you wipe that look off your face or I'll do it for you."

Remus lowered his gaze.

"That is much better, _fairy_."

Peter's mouth dropped open in surprise while Remus' face reddened.

Konrad turned to Fiona and Lily. "Tell me, what is your opinion of these two fairies?"

"They aren't fairies," Fiona snapped while glaring at Konrad.

"Oh, and what do you know, McKinnon?" He stared at Fiona with contempt, and then dismissed her.

"Ah...yes...Miss Evans, you've been _awfully_ quiet." Konrad gazed at Lily with an expression full of malice. "I would think that you would be an authority on this subject. Tell me, what does Hogwarts' _Muggle_-born tease think of the two fairies sitting before me?"

Seething, Lily gazed at Konrad briefly and then turned her attention to the view outside the window.

"Move over to the other side, McKinnon. NOW!"

Lily continued to stare out at the passing scenery while trying to keep her temper in check.

"Turn around and look at me, witch, or so help me God, you will regret it."

Slowly and insolently, Lily turned to face Konrad, who was sitting only a few centimetres from her.

"_Don't you ever, **ever**, ignore me while I am talking to you_," he said in a deadly whisper. "_Do you understand me, girl_?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Konrad remained in their compartment for two hours. Lily thought to herself that the ride with Snape, Rosier, Nott, and Gothic about two years ago had been _nothing_ compared to this one. When Konrad finally exited the compartment, they waited a few minutes and then cheered loudly. He did not return.

After they arrived at Hogwarts, James and Sirius informed Lily, Fiona, Remus, and Peter that Konrad had separated them and placed each in a compartment full of first years.

*******

During the following weeks, the students returned to their typical school routine, with nothing out of the ordinary occurring. James was still unaware of what had happened between Snape and Lily during the Yule Ball. Lily preferred to keep it that way.

*******

On the eighth of March, on a Saturday, Lily busily wrapped a gift she purchased for James while Snowball purred beside her. James' sixteenth birthday was a week away.

Fiona and Samantha noisily entered the room.

Lily glanced up at them.

"Oh, you poor dear!"

Lily frowned. "What do you mean?"

"That pimple in the middle of your forehead, silly." Samantha plopped down on her bed. "Why don't you see Madam Pomfrey for some bubotuber pus?"

"I don't have a pimple on my forehead!" stated Lily indignantly.

"Yes, you do," said Fiona.

"I do?"

"Yes! Look in the mirror."

Lily climbed off the bed and walked to the mirror. Lo and behold, there was a small, pink pimple right in the middle of her forehead. Lily sighed.

"Drat. It wasn't there a few hours ago."

"Go see Madam Pomfrey," Samantha reiterated while flipping through the pages of a magazine.

"It'll go away in a day or two, so I'm not going to worry about it."

Almost fours days later, the pimple had doubled in size and was angry red in appearance. Also, it was quite tender to the touch.

"Lily, you ought to see Madam Pomfrey about that pimple," Fiona said as they headed for Care of Magical Creatures. "It has become perfectly dreadful. It's not normal!"

"Oy! Evans! What's that growing out of your forehead? A tentacle?" baited Azusa Kernville while her Slytherin friends, Tara Yolke and Inga Erstwhilst, cackled.

"Shut up, Kernville," Lily muttered, her head aching slightly.

"Perhaps they should study _you_ in Care of Magical Creatures, Evans," added Yolke while sniggering.

A number of Slytherins had joined the crowd, and all doubled up with laughter at Yolke's remark.

"C'mon, Lily. Let's ignore the idiots," Fiona said while gazing at the group of Slytherins with contempt.

Later that day, at the Prefect table, Lily had a difficult time eating for her head throbbed painfully.

James gazed at Lily with concern. "Lily, you really ought to see Madam Pomfrey about that, erm, thing on your head."

"It's not a _thing_, Jamie. It's a pimple. It'll go away."

"Erm, I don't think so," said James sceptically. "It's getting worse, not better. It's..._hideous_."

"Take James' advice and go see Madam Pomfrey...before the pimple from hell erupts like Vesuvius, spilling your brains everywhere."

"_Shut up_, Sirius!" Lily uncharacteristically snapped shrilly. Then she turned to James.

"If you're embarrassed to be seen with me, why don't you say so?"

"What? I'm not!" James stared at her with a baffled expression on his face. "I just think you should see Madam Pomfrey; that's all. That pimple isn't normal."

"Oh, why don't you two leave me alone?" Lily shouted, and then leapt up from the table.

She stormed off to the Gryffindor tower.

About fifteen minutes after Lily entered the fifth year girls' room, Fiona quietly stepped in.

"Lily, are you all right?"

"Yes," she mumbled with her eyes closed. "My head just hurts. That's all."

Fiona sighed. "Lily..._Please_, see Madam Pomfrey. Why don't you want to see her? I don't believe you're thinking very clearly."

"Leave me alone!"

"All right! Then be that way!" Fiona angrily exited the room.

The next morning, Lily woke up and moaned. She was feverish and had a splitting headache.

"What's wrong, Lily?" said Ivy.

"I don't feel very well...My head feels like it is about to split in two."

"Go see Madam Pomfrey. Now," Daisy said in a bossy voice.

Fiona walked over to Lily's bed and peered closely at her. She gasped.

"Oh my God! C'mon, Lily. Let's go to the hospital wing!"

Samantha, Daisy, and Ivy joined Fiona. Their breaths caught in their throats when they saw Lily's forehead. Each girl wore an identical expression of revulsion on her face.

Fiona pulled Lily off the bed by her arm. "C'mon! Before it bursts or something."

"It's just a pimple. It'll go away," Lily wailed.

"It's not!" the girls cried in unison, and then glanced at each other.

Exasperated, Fiona dragged Lily to the mirror. "Look closely, Lily. Is that a normal pimple? Don't you _dare_ say that it is!"

Lily stared at her reflection in the mirror, her vision slightly blurry. The so-called pimple had spread across nearly her entire forehead and was pulsating sickly. It had become a purplish, greenish colour like that of a bruise. Also, her eyes were red and cheeks tinged with the signs of a high fever.

"All right. I'll see, Madam Pomfrey," she mumbled.

Throwing a robe over her pyjamas, she headed for the hospital wing with Fiona acting as an escort.

When they entered the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey examined the swelling on Lily's forehead. She shook her head and tutted a few times.

"Should have come to me much earlier about this," Madam Pomfrey said with disapproval.

Fiona gave Lily an "I told you so" expression.

"It looks like you will have to stay here for _at least_ two nights, dearie."

"Why? What is it?"

"Remove your robe and climb into bed," ordered Madam Pomfrey.

Lily climbed into bed while Madam Pomfrey poured a toxic-green coloured liquid into a small goblet.

"Drink this straight away to start killing the infestation."

"What?!"

"You have been bitten by a denberry lug beetle." Madam Pomfrey sighed. "I daresay that Filch will need to fumigate the castle now."

"Erm, what's a denberry lug beetle?" said Fiona.

"It's a very unusual insect. It bites its host and then burrows inside the wound. Once inside, it begins to multiply on its own."

Lily gazed at Madam Pomfrey with horror and revulsion. "D'you mean that I have heaps of little beetles multiplying inside my head?"

"Yes. So, please drink the medicine. It will eventually kill the beetles, reduce your fever, and lessen the pain you are no doubt experiencing."

Lily, with some hesitation, brought the goblet toward her lips. The medicine smelled remarkably like turpentine.

"Come, drink up! I don't have all day. There are other patients who need my attention."

Holding her breath, Lily quickly gulped down the medicine. She grimaced and gagged for the potion left a disgustingly bitter aftertaste in her mouth.

Madam Pomfrey took the empty goblet, and glanced at her watch. "In three hours, I will return to give you another dose."

Lily groaned.

"That is your fault for not seeing me sooner!" Madam Pomfrey snapped, and then turned to Fiona. "I must ask you to leave now. Lily needs rest in order to recover."

"All right. Bye, Lily."

"Bye, Fi," Lily said, sleepily.

On her fourth and last day in the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey gave Lily a mirror and asked whether she would like to have the scar, left by the denberry lug beetle infestation, removed. Lily looked at the crooked, red blemish on her forehead, and, without hesitation, requested that it be taken away. Madam Pomfrey spread a white, fish smelling paste on the mark, which she allowed to sit for a half hour. When the allotted time was up, she wiped the smelly material from Lily's forehead and announced that the scar was gone.

*******

On a mild Saturday in early April, Lily approached Hagrid's hut and knocked on the door.

"Hullo, Lily! C'min."

Lily stepped inside. "Hello."

Hagrid, with eyes twinkling, asked for James' whereabouts.

"Erm, he's in the castle."

"He didn' want ter come with yeh?"

"No. He didn't know I was coming here."

"Oh. Would yeh like some tea? How abou' a fudge treacle? I jus' baked a batch."

"Erm, no, that's all right. Thanks! Actually, I was wondering if I could pick some of the flowers on the grounds. They're so pretty, and I would like to put some in our room."

"Why, sure yeh can, Lily! Yeh don' have ter ask. Take as much as yeh like!"

"All right. Thanks, Hagrid!"

Lily proceeded to walk out the door.

"Bye, Lily."

She turned and waved. "Bye, Hagrid."

"Tell James ter stop an' visit me when yeh see him, eh?"

"Okay!"

Lily strolled toward a large bed full of pansies, petunias, and daffodils. Sitting on her knees, she selected flowers in hues of vivid orange, fuchsia, vibrant yellow, red, blue, purple, and white. After she finished, she headed toward a bed full of marigolds, sunflowers, cornflowers, and zinnias. Completely lost in thought, Lily was unaware that she had started to hum. Strands of her long and loose, dark red hair lifted gently in the slight breeze. Then a shadow fell over her. Startled, she glanced up and saw James. The bright sunlight obscured the features of his face. Lily quickly rose to her feet while holding onto the flowers so carefully chosen for the fifth year Gryffindor girls' room.

"Jamie!" A smile started to overspread her face, but then faltered when she observed James' expression full of cold fury.

"James? James, what's wrong?"

"How could you, Lily?"

"How could I what? What are you talking about?"

"Snape! That's what I'm talking about."

"Erm...I'm...I'm not sure what you mean."

"Yes, you do! The Yule Ball! While I was being punished, you were snogging with _Snape_! How could you, Lily?"

"I didn't! That's not what happened!"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was embarrassed. I was afraid that you'd be upset. And you are!"

"I had to hear it from Sirius. He just told me everything! He said that he found you and Snape together in an empty room on one of the upper floors. You were _kissing_ him, Lily!"

Unnoticed, she dropped the flowers so carefully picked. "I didn't mean to, James! It wasn't my fault!"

"How could you let him put his slimy hands on you? How could you let him _kiss_ you?"

"I didn't _let_ him!"

"You did! You even let him _undress_ you."

"I – DID- NOT – LET – HIM! He slipped a love potion in my butterbeer! I didn't know it!"

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU FIGHT IT, LILY? You told him that you _loved_ him!"

"James, it wasn't my fault! I wasn't myself!"

His face twisted in anger and hurt, he snarled, "I thought you cared about me, Lily! But as soon as my back was turned, you ran to _Snape_ of all people!"

Unbidden, hot tears began to course down her cheeks. "That is so _unfair_, James. I didn't _run_ to Snape! He put a love potion in my drink. _I DIDN'T KNOW IT_!"

"But that didn't stop you, did it? Did you enjoy him touching and kissing you? You're some kind of scarlet woman now, aren't you?"

She recoiled as though she had been slapped. "I hate you. I HATE you! Do you hear me, James Potter? _I HATE YOU_!"

Lily turned and fled heedlessly in the direction of the Forbidden Forest, and missed James blanching at her careless remark...and the tears welling up in his eyes.

"_Lily_!" he cried, hoarsely.

Ignoring him, Lily foolishly plunged into the Forbidden Forest. Tears blurring her vision, she raced through the woods. Eventually, with a stitch in her side and gasping for breath, she collapsed at the base of an ancient redwood tree near a clear stream and sobbed.

She slowly glanced around after her crying finally abated. Fear began to settle over Lily once she realised her predicament. She stood and tried to determine which direction the castle was in. Unable to figure out which way to go, she decided to follow the stream. Wary of the prospect of some monstrous creature leaping out at her from between the trees, she walked along the bank quietly and cautiously. After awhile, Lily admitted to herself that she was hopelessly lost. Close to panic, she stopped and sat on a large stone near the stream.

"What am I going to do?" Lily whispered.

For several minutes, she agonised over whether or not to send up a distress signal. _If I signal for help_, she thought, _I will be found, but I will also be expelled from Hogwarts...But, I don't want to stay here, lost, either...especially after dark. Perhaps if I explain that I didn't mean to go into the forest, I will not be expelled...perhaps. Maybe...if I follow this stream, it will lead me out. It has to end up outside the forest, somewhere. But...what if it doesn't? What if it takes me in deeper? Oh, I wish I had my broom! At least it has a compass_.

She sighed heavily. _I can't stay here. I'll have to risk being expelled_.

Standing on the stone, she raised her wand high into the air and said, "_Invoco_!"

A bright, orange-red beam of light shot into the sky. Above the treetops, it silently exploded into a fireworks display.

"Someone _has_ to have seen that," she said, aloud. "I'll just sit here and wait for a bit."

Lily became increasingly worried as the minutes passed. About twenty minutes after the first signal, she conjured up another flare and hoped desperately that someone saw it.

Thirsty, she bent and cupped some water into her hands to drink. Suddenly, she heard the sound of hoof beats behind her. She jumped up, with her wand ready.

A centaur burst onto the scene. Her mouth agape, Lily gazed at the creature. It was a female! The mare had long, wavy, white-blond hair; striking blue eyes; and the markings of a palomino.

"You must be the lost one," the mare said, softly.

Speechless, Lily nodded her head.

"Come, climb onto my back. I will return you to safety."

The mare gracefully bent her forelegs. Lily, with a brief hesitation, climbed onto her back. The centaur straightened, and Lily gently grabbed onto her bare shoulders.

"I am Drisana. What is your name?"

"Lily. Lily Evans."

Drisana stopped and turned her head to gaze at Lily.

"Yes...the eyes...the emerald green eyes...."

"What about my eyes?"

Drisana continued her trot through the forest without replying.

After several minutes, Drisana said, "The heavens have foretold of a powerful force whose purity and goodness of heart would one day destroy the Evil One."

"Lord Voldemort?"

Again, Drisana ignored Lily's question. Sadly, she added, "But it will come at a great sacrifice."

They proceeded on in silence. Soon, through the gaps in the trees, Lily could make out the sloping grounds of Hogwarts. Drisana stopped several paces from the edge of the clearing.

"You are relatively safe now," Drisana said as she bent her forelegs.

Lily slid off her back.

"Erm, thank you for rescuing me."

Drisana gazed into the late afternoon sky. "Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are in near alignment."

"Oh...erm...all right. Goodbye!"

Lily went toward the castle. As she entered the clearing, she heard Drisana call out in a soft, mournful voice, "Fare thee well, Lily Potter."

Lily abruptly halted and then whisked around.

Nothing was there. Drisana had left, and the forest was silent.

*******

Lily marched up the castle grounds musing over her encounter in the Forbidden Forest, and feeling depressed over the exchange she had with James. Near the entrance, she became aware of an unshakable sensation of being watched. She slowed, and furtively took in her surroundings. Lily spotted a slight movement between two projecting outer walls. Cautiously, she stepped behind one of them and came face to face with Snape, who was nearly concealed in shadow. He appeared tortured with deep regret. Lily took in his shoulder-length, limp, jet-black hair; piercing, midnight eyes; pointed nose; thin lips; and pale skin. Through the planes of his face, she caught a glimpse of the man he might someday become.

"Lily, I'm sorry," he whispered. "Please give me another chance."

A fierce rage bubbled up inside her: anger that Snape had attempted to force her into loving him and fury that Snape was the cause of the rift between her and James. With tears threatening, Lily stepped up to him; raised her hand; and slapped him hard across the face. She then turned swiftly on her heels, and, without looking back, entered the castle.

*******

During the following few weeks, Lily and James avoided contact with each other. Fiona was also no longer on speaking terms with Sirius for breaking his promise to Lily. Sirius attempted to apologise to Lily for breaking his word, but each time he tried, either Lily or Fiona rebuffed him. Lily felt miserable over the fight she had with James, and especially regretted the last words she had spoken to him. She was willing to give anything to take them back, and desperately wanted to tell James so. Unfortunately, her pride prevented her from doing just that.

*******

"Bye, Professor Flitwick!" Lily waved at the diminutive teacher as she left his office. She had spent the last hour with him working on a Charms project.

On her way to the Gryffindor tower, she happened to hear whispers coming from a classroom up ahead, to her right. Slowing, she quietly approached the room from which she heard the voices. The door was slightly ajar. Lily peeked inside, and spotted Remus and Ivy. Ivy was leaning against the wall. Remus had a long, curly lock of her hair twisted around his finger. They kissed, and then Remus pulled back.

"Promise me that you will marry me, Ivy," he said huskily, "when we leave Hogwarts."

Ivy giggled. "That's so far away, Wolfman."

Then she kissed him.

"No, it isn't. It's only two years away. You're the only girl for me. No one else would want me because of what I am." He kissed her on the nose and on each eyelid.

"You love me, don't you, Ivy?"

"Yes. Very much."

"Then marry me after Hogwarts."

They kissed some more.

"All right, Wolfman."

"I'm lucky to have you."

Feeling a funny sort of ache, Lily backed away and continued on to the Gryffindor tower.

When she arrived in the common room, Fiona, Daisy, and Samantha greeted her excitedly, each speaking to her at once.

"Wait!" Lily exclaimed. "All of you are talking at the same time! I don't know what you're saying."

"You tell her, Daisy, because you saw it," said Fiona.

"Did you hear, Lily?" Daisy began.

"Hear what?"

"James turned Snape into a cockroach!"

"No!"

"He did!" retorted Samantha.

"Why?"

"Because he was angry with him about something," replied Daisy. Continuing, she said, "He turned Snape into a cockroach, and then tried to step on him. But Peter and Sirius grabbed him before he could do so. Then...."

"Tell her what else happened," jumped in Fiona. "Go on!"

"Fi, I was about to when you interrupted!"

"All right. Sorry. Continue."

"Then that wretched Konrad showed up and gave James detention...and took one hundred and fifty points from Gryffindor."

"Too bad Konrad didn't leave Snape as a cockroach," added Fiona. "Perhaps McGonagall would have...."

*******

One day, in mid-May, Lily spent time alone in the library studying for the upcoming Ordinary Wizarding Levels or O.W.Ls. She wanted to receive at least ten O.W.Ls, which would place her at the top of the fifth year. So far, each year, she ended up behind James and Sirius in marks. She was feeling the strain from so much studying.

While jotting down some notes from a thick volume entitled, The Rise and Fall of Lord Grindelwald, she was disturbed by someone sitting down at the table. She looked up and saw James sitting directly across from her. In silence, they gazed at one another.

Lily had never _really_ looked at James until that point. She noticed that, for a boy, he had delicate, almost feminine features...framed by a very untidy mop of jet-black hair. He was pretty and slightly bookish in appearance as opposed to being handsome. She liked the way he was, and found him endearing.

"I'm sorry," they blurted out at the same time.

Lily sighed. "I...."

"No," he interrupted. "I was a prat. I shouldn't have said those ugly things, Lily. I'm sorry. I was just so furious over what Snape had done. I know you wouldn't do something like that. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

"I forgive you, Jamie. Please forgive _me_ for saying that I hated you. I don't hate you. I was really mad when I said it. I didn't mean it. I take it back, and I'm sorry."

He smiled. "You're forgiven, Tiger Lily. Besides, I deserved it for being so horrid."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

"You didn't."

"I did."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Not."

"Too...."

*******

A week before exams, a hippogriff attacked Professor Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, during a lesson with the Slytherin and Hufflepuff first years. A number of students were wounded before Hagrid rushed out of his house and took control of the animal. Unfortunately, Professor Kettleburn lost his left leg to the beast. The prefects called an urgent meeting to discuss the gruesome incident. Unanimously, they submitted a proposal to Headmaster Dumbledore stating that Care of Magical Creatures no longer be offered to first and second year students. The prefects believed that the third year students and higher knew enough magic to defend themselves against a rampaging beast.

The exam results were posted. Lily ended up receiving eleven O.W.Ls, placing her again behind James and Sirius who tied for first place at the top of their year. She returned home satisfied, and supremely happy that she and James were back together again. 


	23. Lord Voldemort

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XXIII: _Lord Voldemort_**

Lily, a formless spirit, soared high above a never visited landscape, marking the farms, streams, and trees dotting the green countryside. The land began to gently rise. She slowed, floating over a dense forest, and then climbed the air current as the vista became more rugged. Lily glided above the mountains into a patch of cloud, a dreamlike vapour such as herself. Tumbling from the cloud, she dived and then rapidly ascended. Far off in the distance, she spotted a rocky coastline and flew towards it. The sky darkened; the clouds lowered, became grey, and threatened to drizzle. Lily sank and approached a jagged cliff, with the sea roaring in her ears. Below, she spied two figures standing at the edge: one, tall and ominous, and the other, slight and forlorn. Her flight began to speed up, swiftly homing in on the two beings. Lily lost control...and fell. With deep fear, she stared at her bare feet and shivered in the chilly breeze. Her robe was too thin.

"Look at me, girl."

She trembled; she did not want to gaze upon his face.

"Your master commands you."

Cringing, she looked into the face she grew to dread.

"I am sending you home."

He raised his wand.

"_Avada Kedavra_."

Gasping for breath, Lily abruptly sat up in bed. "_JAMIE_! MUM! DAD!"

Wesley and Zinnia stormed into the room. "Lily, what's wrong?" they both asked in the dark.

"Oh, Mum," she sobbed.

Zinnia embraced Lily tight, and noticed that she was shuddering. "Honey, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

"Mum, I'm so afraid."

"Honey, there's nothing to be afraid of. You are safe. Nothing is going to hurt you. It was just a bad dream."

"Mum, Dad, please don't let him kill me."

Alarmed, Wesley said, "What are you talking about? Who is going to kill you?"

Lily spoke no more that night.

*******

Frantic, Lily ran back and forth between the wardrobe and the mirror trying to decide what to wear. Already, she had tried on a half dozen outfits. She glanced at the clock on her night table.

"Oh no! They're going to be here in a few minutes," she said, aloud.

James invited Lily, Fiona, Sirius, Remus, Ivy, and Peter over to his house for dinner. Liam McKinnon and Fiona were due to arrive at the Evanses in five minutes.

Hastily, she decided to wear a soft, salmon coloured dress with a matching sweater. Quickly, she put on the ensemble, and then rummaged in the wardrobe searching for a pair of shoes to match. Once she found and put them on, Lily stood before the mirror. The reflection was that of a very pretty sixteen-year-old girl-woman with an oval-shaped face; delicate features; entrancing, emerald green eyes; child-like, rosy-pink lips; dark red hair; and fair skin. Lily brushed her tresses to one side so that they fell across the front left shoulder. She heard a knock on the bedroom door just as she reached over to grab a scarf with a colourful salmon, coral, orange, and rosy brown print.

"C'min!"

Fiona walked into the room and closed the door behind her.

"Oy, Lily! You look really nice."

"Thanks! So do you."

Fiona had her rich brown hair flecked with gold cut to shoulder length. She wore a deep pink, knee-length dress robe.

"I'm almost done. I just have to tie this scarf in my hair."

"Don't worry; my dad is deeply engaged in explaining to your dad how apparation works."

Lily chuckled, and shook her head. Still standing before the mirror, she tied the scarf around her hair. Her titian locks were perfectly bundled in the multicoloured scarf, hanging slightly below her left shoulder.

"'Kay. I'm ready."

"Erm, wait. I have to tell you something, first."

Puzzled, Lily gazed at Fiona. "All right."

"Erm, I didn't want to write it in a letter, in case it was intercepted or something. So, I decided I would wait until I saw you."

"Oh. What is it?"

"It's a _major_ secret. You must promise that you will never tell a soul. No one. Ever."

"All right. I promise to never tell anyone."

"Including James?"

"Including James."

Fiona took a deep breath. "All right. I, erm...Sirius and me...."

"Wait, Fi."

Lily walked briskly to the door and opened it. Petunia, who had been listening intently on the other side, quickly backed up with a guilty expression on her face.

"I knew it! Why must you be so nosy, Petunia?"

Petunia glared at Lily for a moment and then replied haughtily. "I have a right to know what sort of unnaturalness is going on in my parents' home."

"The only unnatural thing in this house is you! Don't you have anything else to do, besides spying on me?"

"How _dare_ you call me unnatural, you abnormal freak?! _Everyone_ knows about your abnormality. I'm normal, unlike you!"

"Flibbertigibbet! Umchuck! _Whoosh_! Golash!" exclaimed Fiona coming to Lily's side.

Petunia's eyes widened in fright, and then she bolted downstairs.

Laughing, Lily and Fiona returned to the room and closed the door.

"You may want to whisper, in case she comes back."

"All right," replied Fiona sitting on Lily's bed.

Lily plopped down next to Fiona.

"All right," Fiona repeated. "I, erm...."

"Well, go on," prodded Lily, observing Fiona's face slowly reddening.

"Erm, well, about two weeks ago, Sirius' parents went for a three day vacation in the Azores."

"Okay."

"They were away for three days...and....erm...Sirius asked if I could come over."

"Er...come over, as in visit?"

"Well...erm...sort of."

"Did you?"

Fiona mumbled something unintelligible.

"_What_?"

"Yes, for three days," said Fiona very fast.

"You stayed at his house for _three days_?!"

"_Shhh_! You don't want your rotten sister to hear us, do you?"

"No, but you and Sirius were in the house _alone_ for _three days_?"

"Erm, yes."

Incredulous, Lily simply stared at Fiona with eyes wide and mouth agape. Finally, she said, "Did your parents know?"

"Of course not, silly! I told them that I was at Samantha's. Her parents were visiting relatives in Canada that same week. Sam stayed behind. You know she has a part-time summer job with the _Daily Prophet_."

"Yeah."

They sat for a moment in silence.

Then Lily said, "Erm...you and him...er...didn't erm...."

"We did."

Completely flabbergasted, Lily gasped. "You _didn't_!"

"We did."

"Ohmigod, Fi."

"Don't tell anyone."

"I won't. Erm...what was it like?"

Just then, Zinnia peeked into the room. "Girls, Liam is waiting."

Saving the rest of the conversation for another day, they followed Zinnia downstairs.

*******

Lily, Fiona, and Liam arrived in Godric's Hollow, via Portkey, in the glow of a setting sun. Lily gazed around the quaint, lakeside village in wonder. The cobbled stone street they were on appeared to be the main thoroughfare. Tall poles bearing red and gold flags with a lion crest were spaced at intervals of about three meters.

They went down a road marked "Llewelyn Court." Lily marvelled at the miniature castle-homes glimpsed through the trees. Eventually, they reached an arched, wrought iron gate at the end of the lane and stepped through. The small company then followed a narrow, stone path winding its way between a fairly dense stand of coniferous trees. As dusk settled, they approached a castle-home larger than the ones they passed earlier. Lily, Fiona, and Liam climbed a few steps leading to a large, black double-door. Liam reached out to knock on it. Before he could make contact, the door opened and revealed a house-elf. The house-elf bowed and welcomed them inside.

"Ah! Good Evening! Welcome! Please do make yourselves comfortable." Edward Potter ushered them into a very spacious living room in which James, Sirius, Ivy, Remus, and Peter were seated on elegant poufs assembled around a mahogany table.

James leapt up and trotted over to meet Lily, Fiona, and Liam. He bowed deeply, and said, "Welcome to our humble abode, Ladies and Gentleman."

Smiling with amusement, Edward turned to Liam and whispered, "My son, you see, is ever the perpetual comedian."

James, very dashing in a high-necked, midnight blue dress robe with silver trim, extended a hand out to Lily. "M'Lady?"

Lily giggled, and took his hand. She then whispered to him, "You're such a silly, Jamie."

"Ah, yes!" exclaimed Edward. "We need more poufs." He waved his wand and two extra poufs appeared at the table.

Lily and Fiona became situated while smiling at their friends.

"Liam," Edward said, "are you joining us?"

"No, I'm afraid I can't. There's a spot of business I must attend to at the Ministry. Thanks for the offer, Ed."

"Perhaps another time, eh?"

"Indeed. Count on it." Liam, with a faint popping noise, disapparated.

Edward turned his attention to the group. "In a moment, I will have a brief meeting with Rookwood in my office. I trust that all of you will behave yourselves?"

They vigorously nodded their heads.

"Good. If the meeting lasts beyond ten minutes, I will have Lucy direct you to the dinner hall without me. Very well then." He departed the room.

Remus slid off his pouf to sit at Ivy's feet. She ruffled Remus' light brown hair and then placed her hands on his shoulders.

James leaned over and whispered to Lily, "Erm, here is some poetry. Lily, you are so beautiful tonight. You are like a perfect rose in my sight. I would dive into deep waters to see if the sun's rays could compete with your inner light. I hope we remain tight for we, together, are so right."

Lily gazed at James affectionately for a brief moment, and then threw her arms around his neck. "That was _so_ sweet, Jamie."

"Ahoy, Lovebirds!" Sirius, who was sitting at Fiona's feet, caught their attention. "Wormtail has something important to say."

"Wormtail?" Ivy said with a frown on her face. "Why did you call him 'Wormtail?' That's an odd nickname for someone named Peter."

"Never mind that," said Peter. "Anyway, I was asking if anyone heard about the disappearances."

"Which one?" Remus replied. "I know about two of them."

"What do you mean?" said Lily. "What's going on?"

"That's the thing; no one knows," answered Peter. "About a month ago, a reporter for the _Daily Prophet_ disappeared. A couple of Aurors from the Ministry found his body, or what was left of it. It was said that there was some Dark Arts ritual involved."

"What exactly is an Auror?" Lily said.

"It's someone who works for the Ministry, tracking down dark wizards and witches," replied Sirius. "I hear that they have a load on their hands since, er, Lord Voldemort arrived on the scene."

For a moment, no one said anything.

"Two weeks ago," Peter resumed, "a witch from the Department of Mysteries vanished. They haven't found her, yet.

"Then, yesterday, three newborns disappeared from Ste. Ayla's..._at the same time_."

Ivy gasped. "You're joking!"

"He's not," said Fiona. "I overheard my mum and dad talking about it. The babes' mothers are distraught. The nurses check on the newborns every fifteen minutes. The last time they checked, all three were asleep in their cribs. The next time they looked in, they were gone...just gone. Two were boys and one was a girl. All of them haven't even been named yet!"

"That is so _awful_!" Lily exclaimed.

"I just want to know _why_ would anyone _want_ to kidnap _three_ crying infants?" said Peter.

Quietly, James replied, "Perhaps the disappearance of the newborns is tied to the death of the reporter."

"What are you implying, Prongs?" said Sirius in a serious tone.

"Perhaps the babies will be used in some sort of ritualistic sacrifice."

Lily stared at James with dawning horror. "Oh, James, he wouldn't...."

Just then, a house-elf appeared in the room. "Sir tells Lucy to have James and his friends to eat dinner now."

"All right," James said, standing up.

They followed him into the dinner hall. James took a chair at one end of the large table, and politely asked Lily to take the seat to his right. Peter sat on his left, directly across from Lily. After everyone was situated, several house-elves materialized in the hall carrying savoury dishes, which they began serving.

During the main course, Edward joined them. "I apologise for my tardiness," he said as he took the chair at the head of the table. "Bit of a mess we have on our hands."

"No worries, Dad. We understand."

Edward smiled fondly at his son, who nearly shared his resemblance, and then said, "Well, this appears perfectly sumptuous. I shall dig in!"

After filling themselves with five delicious courses, they remained at the table for idle talk.

Lily, feeling slightly sleepy from the meal, thought to herself that the Potters must be very wealthy, and wondered why their name had not been on Mrs. McKinnon's list of prominent wizarding families. The Potters was the first wizarding family she had met that had more than one house-elf. Also, the size of the house and the furnishings spoke of wealth. She wondered how James' father accumulated so much money. _Perhaps he earns much working for the Department of Mysteries_, she thought.

About five minutes later, they returned to the living room while Edward went back into his office. Peter suggested that they play a game of chess or Wizard Trivia. The majority voted for Wizard Trivia.

"Lily and I will have to excuse ourselves from partaking of this fun and lively game. I hope none of you mind," James said while taking Lily's hand.

Lily glanced up at him with a questioning expression on her face.

"Erm, it's all right, Prongs. Do any of you really mind?" said Sirius.

They all shook their heads.

"All right," James said. "We'll be back."

James, holding Lily's hand, led her out of the room. She followed him down a wide corridor with a marble floor. They turned left, and James opened the door at the end of it.

"I have something to show you. It's a surprise...your belated birthday gift."

"Oh! Okay."

They stepped outside, into the dark.

"I wish I could've done this on your birthday, but it wasn't, er, ready yet."

"It's all right, Jamie."

While walking amongst the trees, still holding hands, James stopped at one point.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Erm, I must do this. To make it more of a surprise." He pulled a white handkerchief from the pocket of his robe.

"I must blindfold you, Tiger Lily."

"Erm...all right."

"Don't worry; I will not let you walk into a tree or stumble into a hole."

"I hope not!" She turned her back to James so that he could place the handkerchief over her eyes.

After blindfolding her, James quickly and softly kissed Lily on the mouth. They resumed walking, albeit slowly and awkwardly, into the woods.

At some point, Lily realised that she could hear distant voices ahead. They seemed to be shouting.

"Jamie, is something wrong?"

"No, Tiger Lily. Everything's fine. We're almost there."

A few minutes later, Lily could clearly hear the voices. It sounded as though they were struggling with something. _Whatever it is, it must be huge_, Lily thought.

James gently grabbed Lily's shoulders and turned her around.

He whispered, "I'm going to remove the blindfold now."

James lifted the handkerchief from her eyes. She blinked a few times and then gasped.

Through a wide gap in the trees, near the edge of the lake, six wizards were struggling with a _dragon_, a real life _dragon_. It looked remarkably similar to the blue one in the sphere that James had given her. The mythic creature was beautiful. At random intervals, it emitted a jet of fire. Lily felt as though she was in a fantastic dream, almost as though she had slipped unknowingly into the Dragon's Lair. The dark heavens overhead, sprinkled with a billion stars, seemed to heighten the illusion.

"Oh, Jamie, it's _wonderful_," she said, completely in awe of the vision before her.

Standing behind Lily, James drew her close and placed his arms around her. He whispered, "Now, you understand Hagrid's fascination, why he wants a dragon of his own."

They stood together watching the scene for a while.

"Tiger Lily, I have something else for you."

Lily turned in his arms to gaze up into his face. "Really? What is it?"

James pulled back, and reached into his pocket. He revealed a box. He opened the container, and a white light spilled from it. Inside was a gold chain with the letter J attached to it. Set into the pennant was a jade birthstone. James lifted the chain from the box and then clasped it around Lily's neck.

"Touch the gemstone with your pinkie finger," he said, softly.

Lily complied. A small, glowing sphere magically appeared before her face. Written on its surface were the words, "Lily and James; Love always and forever." The words vanished from the surface, and were replaced by an image of her and James. The image was that of a photo Samantha had taken a year ago, during a visit at an outdoor cafe in Hogsmeade. Samantha had captured Lily gazing up into James' face and laughing over a half-remembered joke. In the photograph, James was staring into Lily's eyes and grinning.

"I asked Samantha if she could make a copy for our necklaces. You see I had one made for me, too."

James opened the top of his robe and retrieved a similar gold chain, but with the letter L attached to it.

"They're the same."

Lily touched the stone on her necklace again, and the sphere disappeared. She then flung her arms around James in a tight embrace.

"Thank you! Thank you, Jamie. It's so lovely! I'll wear it always."

He smiled down at her. "You're welcome." Then he kissed her gently on the mouth.

Very quickly, they became absorbed with kissing each other. The mythical blue dragon completely exited their minds.

*******

In mid-August, Lily and Fiona met James and Sirius in Diagon Alley to shop for their school supplies. This year, the four of them were taking Foreign Tongues. Supposedly, in one year, they would learn how to speak ten languages fluently. Lily had her doubts.

In Flourish and Blotts, they encountered a challenge.

"We can't carry these around King's Cross! The Muggles would be sure to spot us!" exclaimed Sirius indignantly.

"How are we supposed to carry it without using magic? That's what I want to know," said Fiona.

The item in question was the textbook for Care of Magical Creatures. The book was entitled, The Giant Book of Giants. It was a very thick volume, of which the dimensions were 120 centimetres in length and 100 centimetres in width.

"Surely we will need a Hovering or Levitation Charm to cart it around," commented Lily.

"Has Kettleburn gone mad?" James said, incredulously.

At that moment, Mr. Blotts approached them and inquired as to whether or not they needed any assistance.

Sirius spoke up, "Yes. How are we to carry these giant books without magic, and without attracting Muggle attention?"

"Hogwarts students?"

They nodded their heads.

"You don't have to worry. It will be shipped directly to Hogwarts. You will need to first pay for the book, of course, and then add your name to the list."

They glanced at each other in relief.

After they purchased their textbooks, they signed the list.

"Don't forget to write your House next to your name," said Mr. Blotts.

"Oh! I didn't do it," exclaimed Lily returning to the counter.

"Me neither," said Sirius following Lily.

*******

"Lily, dear, are you sure it's a good idea to take Snowball with you?"

"Yes, Mum. He'll be fine."

Zinnia gazed sceptically at her daughter. "Honey, he's old, fourteen years. Also, he has arthritis. You know how it troubles him at times. I really do think you should leave him here."

"Mum, I can't! I've had Snowball since I was two years old. I would miss him _terrible_ if I left him, and he would miss me."

Zinnia sighed. "All right then. He's your cat. Just let me know when he needs more medicine."

"Okay...I better hurry, Craig and Fiona will be here in any minute."

Lily gently lifted Snowball from the bed; placed him into his carrier; and then latched it closed. Heidi and her cage were sent to Remus a few days ago. Heidi had been very displeased about her arrangements, and had cuffed Lily with her wing.

On the way out of the room, Zinnia stopped her.

"What, Mum?" Lily looked at her quizzically.

"Your dad and I want you to invite this boy you are so fond of to our house next summer. We would like to be properly introduced."

Lily blushed. "How did you know?"

Zinnia smiled sadly and said, "Parents know far more about their children than they let on."

"Oh."

"Can you tell me his name?"

"Yes. It's James Potter."

*******

About thirty minutes later, Lily and Fiona were at King's Cross waiting in the cold wind for James and Sirius to show up. 

"Brrr, I wish they would hurry and show up!" exclaimed Fiona attempting to wrap her coat more tightly around her.

Lily looked up and observed the clouds racing across the sky as though fleeing from some unnamed horror in the west.

A few minutes later, James and Sirius arrived with many apologies. Shortly afterwards, they entered platform nine and three-quarters.

*******

"CROUCH, BARTEMIUS."

A very cute boy with straw-coloured hair and freckles sat on the stool and placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Lily and Fiona half-listened to the Sorting Ceremony. They were thoroughly engrossed in a conversation about what happened to the newborns that were found about a week ago.

"Fi, I think James was right. They were used as a sacrifice."

"Yes, but some horrible monster could have eaten them, too."

"But, how would the monster get into the hospital without anyone seeing it?"

"It's simple: You-Know-Who apparated to the hospital, grabbed the babies, and then fed them to his terrifying pet monster."

"I don't know...I think Voldemort...."

Several nearby Gryffindors flinched upon hearing the name.

"Please, do you mind not saying that word?" said a fourth year with a nervous expression on her face.

"Sorry."

Lily returned to the conversation. "I think he used the babies in some horrible ritual. This probably explains why they found the bones scorched."

"Maybe it was a dragon?"

"Don't be dense, Fiona," Lily hissed while straightening her prefect badge.

"I'm sorry. It's just that the whole thing really frightens me. He must be truly evil to kill tiny, defenceless babies. Do you think he ate them?"

"No. I don't think he's a cannibal. Do you?"

"I don't know...He could be. He's definitely evil."

They ended the discussion, and turned their attention to the rest of the Sorting Ceremony.

*******

During the prefects first meeting in September, they learned that Professor Dumbledore accepted their proposal to make first and second years ineligible for Care of Magical Creatures lesson. That term, no first years had Care of Magical Creatures on their schedule.

In Foreign Tongues, Professor Lengua informed the students that they would concentrate on the human languages: Latin, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Polish, Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Russian. Lily spoke French almost fluently, and knew some Latin and Spanish.

*******

In early October, the third years and higher queued up just inside the main castle door for a weekend visit to Hogsmeade.

"I just remembered something!" said Thora Craven, Daisy's sister, who was in her third year.

"What?" responded Elijah, Thora's twin.

"The planets are supposed to be totally aligned today." She glanced at her watch. "In forty-five minutes. Professor Sinistra said so."

"Oh yeah...." said Elijah and Chris McDonald at the same time.

"Isn't it strange that there aren't many Slytherins going to Hogsmeade this weekend? This is only our second visit. Usually, nearly everyone shows up for a visit during the first part of the year," remarked Sirius.

"They're probably plotting something wretchedly stupid under Snape's direction," Fiona replied.

"All right! The carriages have arrived," Madam Hooch shouted, irritably. "As you walk out the door, Professor Chloride and I will check to make sure that you have permission to visit Hogsmeade."

"And please remember that only four are allowed in each carriage!" added Professor Chloride, laughing like a hyena.

About ten minutes later, they arrived in Hogsmeade.

"It's _dreadfully_ cold, isn't it?" said Ivy. "And it's only the thirteenth of October!"

All were bundled in winter cloaks and wearing gloves.

"It wouldn't be so bad if the wind wasn't blowing," remarked Peter, teeth chattering.

"Let's go inside this shop," suggested James. "It looks warm inside, and it isn't crowded."

Lily, Fiona, James, Sirius, Ivy, and Peter entered Magical Mysteries and Discovery Zone.

"Wow!" Lily exclaimed in surprise.

The shop was full of an assortment of unusual items that were whirring, whizzing, soaring, twirling, beeping, crawling, climbing, or spinning around the place. A few of the patrons were investigating the objects with great enjoyment. An adult wizard on a contraption that looked like a cross between a large beach ball, an airplane, and a boat sailed above their heads while guffawing with great glee.

They split up to look around. Lily saw many irresistible gadgets she would love to buy if she had the money; some of the objects were quite expensive. Eventually, Lily settled on a Pocket Sneakoscope, which she thought might come in handy; a self-supplying roll of parchment; and a mobile cat settee for elderly or infirm cats that boasted it would carry "your cat anywhere it pleases at the sound of a meow."

After their goods were paid for, they left. Swiftly, they made their way over to the Three Broomsticks for a round of butterbeers. From there, they nearly ran, in order to stay warm, to Honeyduke's. Inside, they encountered a number of students buying sweets guaranteed to rot teeth.

"Hello and goodbye," said Elijah as he walked by with a bag stuffed with sweets.

"Yep, hello and goodbye," Chris mimicked.

"Er, wait, Elijah!" Daisy caught up with him before he exited. "Where are you two going? Where's Thora?"

"Thora's at Fantasia Realm with her stupid, giggly friends. We're on our way there, too."

"Oh. Just stay out of trouble. And don't pester Thora's friends!"

"Yes, Mum," muttered Elijah as he and Chris left the shop.

Lily, James, Fiona, Sirius, Ivy, and Peter purchased their candy, and returned to the Three Broomsticks for warmth and more butterbeer.

"Let's just stay in here for awhile," said Peter after his third butterbeer of the day. "It is just too miserable out there."

"I agree," said James. "I don't feel like braving the weather anytime soon."

"It's too bad they just can't send carriages to each shop to pick us up," Fiona said.

"That would be nice," murmured Lily sipping butterbeer.

"Oh no!"

"What?" responded Sirius.

"I forgot that I promised Remus I would get him some Exploding Quills from Zonko's! He even gave me the money for them," Ivy wailed.

Lily, James, Fiona, Sirius, and Peter glanced at each other. No one wanted to volunteer to accompany Ivy back outside into the bitter wind.

Eventually, and with a heavy sigh, Lily said, "I'll go with you, Ivy."

"Thanks, Lily," Ivy replied with gratitude.

They put on their cloaks and gloves again, and went for the door. They left their packages with the group.

A few paces from the Three Broomsticks, a few snowflakes skated past them.

"Oy!" Lily exclaimed. "It's starting to snow!"

Ivy, who did not share Lily's enthusiasm, stated, "Well, I do hope that the wind stops now that it is snowing."

The snow continued to fall lightly and almost horizontal in the near gale force wind.

A few meters ahead, they encountered Daisy and Oliver Arbuckle outside Gladrags Wizardwear.

"Where are you two off to?" said Oliver.

"Zonko's," Ivy replied.

"So are we," responded Oliver.

"What's that scary sound?" Daisy exclaimed. "Do you hear it?"

Lily cocked her head to the right, trying to listen. In the distance, she heard a threatening booming noise, with a wailing undertone, steadily growing louder.

"What _is_ it?" said Ivy fearfully while crowding close to Oliver.

Lily observed that a number of students and Hogsmeade residents on the street had stopped to listen. The frightening sound seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere. Suddenly, a number of strange, dark shapes streaked across the snowy sky, just above the rooftops.

Paralysed with fear, Lily huddled close to Ivy, Daisy, and Oliver.

The dark shapes in the sky dove toward the earth, and aimed for the people below. Lily froze with terror.

"Lily! Run!" Oliver bellowed.

Finally, her legs obeyed the commands from her brain. She started a sprint for her life. A manticor landed on the spot she had just vacated. Lily caught up with Ivy, Daisy, and Oliver while attempting to block out the screams and gruesome sounds of ripping flesh. Ahead, a manticor leapt onto the back of a fleeing wizard. The top part of his head vanished into the monster's mouth. Its scorpion-like tail lashed out and pierced an unfortunate third year student.

Another manticor landed in front of Lily, and prepared to leap. Without thinking, Lily whipped out her wand and shouted the first spell that popped into her head. "_Claustrum_!" A heavy cage made of iron trapped the creature. Feeling as though she were in a waking nightmare, Lily imprisoned every manticor within close range. Ivy, Daisy, and Oliver followed her lead.

"Here!" Oliver panted. "Let's go in here!" He pointed to a boarded up structure.

"It's locked!" screamed Daisy.

"Not anymore!" said Oliver, and pointed his wand at the bolted door. "_Alohomora_!"

They ran into the dark building, with Oliver locking the door behind them.

"_Lumos_," they said as one.

"Let's go farther inside, away from the doors and windows."

The girls followed Oliver deeper into the building.

"I think we're safe here," Lily said, trembling.

They were in a room with several crates against the walls. A number of them had strange markings on them. Oliver walked to one crate and peered closely at the emblem in the light of his wand. He jumped back in alarm, and turned toward the girls with eyes open wide in dismay.

"Oliver, what is it?" Ivy said in a frightened, shaky voice.

"It's...."

Without warning, a number of figures materialised in the room and separated Oliver from the girls. They screamed at the same time as they heard a high, cold, mirthless laugh. 

Lily, Ivy, and Daisy grabbed onto each other, and backed against a corner as thirteen black-cloaked, hooded, and masked wizards assembled in front of them. One of the wizards removed his mask and revealed a hideous, white face with gleaming red eyes. Lily's breath caught in her throat as unreality washed over her. Her legs became weak, and threatened to give out. She willed herself to remain standing. Ivy sank her nails into Lily's arm, and Daisy moaned.

The wizard with the demon, red eyes; slits for nostrils; and deathly pale skin advanced toward the girls. They tried to flatten themselves against the corner in response. The demon-like wizard laughed, and then swept his arm in a wide arc. Light filled the room.

"You will not be needing those," he said.

The girls' wands suddenly appeared in his hand.

He stopped a few meters away from them.

"Do you know who I am?" he whispered.

They did not reply.

"I am Lord Voldemort...and one of you is coming with me. Consider it an honour."

"No! Leave them alone!" Oliver, unseen until then, pushed aside two wizards and placed himself in front of the girls, his wand pointed at Lord Voldemort.

With unnaturally quick reflexes, Lord Voldemort reached into his cloak, pulled out a wand, and said, "_Avada Kedavra_."

A bright flash of green momentarily lit the room and a sound like the wind briefly filled it.

Oliver dropped face down onto the floor like a stone.

"OLIVER!" Lily said, and then kneeled at his side.

"Oliver!" she shook his prone body.

"_Oliver._" She began to cry while still shaking him.

"Enough of that, silly girl," Lord Voldemort said with amusement in his voice. "Forget him. He's dead."

Lily covered her face with trembling hands.

"Get up." 

She did not move, for she simply could not.

"I said, _get up._"

Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted by a giant, invisible hand. She was returned to her original location, on her feet.

Lord Voldemort smiled and stepped over Oliver's body.

Standing about thirty centimetres from them, he said, "As I was saying before I was interrupted, one of you is coming with me. Which of you will volunteer?"

They stared at him with fright.

"None of you desire the distinction of leaving with me, Lord Voldemort?" he replied in an oddly charming voice. "I'm amazed, truly astounded.

"Then I shall decide for you."

Lord Voldemort placed a closed fist in front of their faces. Three thick broom straws protruded from it.

"The end of one of these is painted green. The girl who picks the painted straw comes with me. Understand?"

They did not reply.

"I interpret your silence as understanding...or, perhaps, mere idiocy."

A few of the masked wizards tittered.

"Now then. Choose or _I'll make you_." 

Daisy slowly extended an arm out, and with a tremulous hand, extracted a straw. She looked at the end of it, and then crumpled to the floor in a faint.

"Should I take it that she was extremely disappointed?" Lord Voldemort said in an amused voice.

The cloaked wizards laughed.

"You're next," he said to Ivy while watching her intently. 

Ivy, hand shaking almost uncontrollably, reached for a straw. She pulled it free of his hand and turned it so that she could see the end.

It was green.

In a blink of an eye, Lord Voldemort seized Ivy. They both vanished.

A split second later, the masked wizards also disapparated.

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVYYYYYYYY!"

Lily passed out.

**---------**

_**Note: ** My description of a manticor differs slightly from J.K. Rowling's (Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them). I based my description on what I learned from Greek Mythology lessons._


	24. Ivy

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XXIV: _Ivy_**

The voices seemed to be coming from the end of an interminably long tunnel. Distantly, someone sobbed hysterically. The words were meaningless.

"The warlock across the way saw four of them enter the building."

"There are only three here, one dead."

"Then, where's the other?"

"Don't know."

"What about this one? Has anyone questioned her?"

"I tried. It's no use. She's incoherent. Has anyone summoned a medic?"

"I sent for two. Perhaps we should cover the body. Anyone know who he is?"

"I recognise him."

"Who is he?"

"He's Bronson's youngest son, Oliver."

"Oh shite. Has he been informed?"

"No."

"I think this one may be coming around."

"Careful, Thompson. She has a nasty gash on the back of the head, that one."

"What's her name?"

"Don't know."

"Hullo. What's your name?"

"I think she's still unconscious."

"Where are the medics?"

"Please try calming the girl. We can't get any information from her as long as she is in that state."

"Lovely. Look who just walked in."

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I'm Rita Skeeter, correspondent with the _Daily Prophet_. Who is in charge here?"

"Look, we don't have time for an interview. We have a crisis here. Would you be so kind as to leave the premises?"

"Just one question, sir. Is it true that these crates contain an assortment of weapons belonging to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"Lady, we're going to have to ask you to leave."

"How did the boy die? Is You-Know-Who responsible?"

"Lady, _please_. Leave!"

"Is it true that You-Know-Who abducted one of the girls? Shaftmine, across the street, saw three girls and a boy enter this building."

"Could someone _please_ escort this witch out of here?!"

"Thompson! The medics have arrived."

"May I have a moment with this girl?"

"No! You will _not_ question her! We asked you to leave!"

"Come, now. Thompson, is it? My readers have a right to...."

All voices faded into silence.

*******

Lily slowly opened her eyes and glanced around. She was in an infirmary, and her head throbbed unmercifully. While staring at the clock on the wall, she drifted away.

*******

"Lily, I'm so sorry. We should have come with you and Ivy. We shouldn't have let you two go alone."

Lily opened her eyes and blinked owlishly. Her head was better, but she felt very groggy. James, appearing desperately sad, peered down at her.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"We should've come with you two."

"What could you have done? There was nothing you could have done, James. He would have killed you, too."

"I could have lost you."

"I'm so sleepy," she whispered.

"Lily...I love you."

Before she could begin to respond, Lily fell into a dreamless sleep.

*******

The next morning, Lily felt much better physically, but mentally she was in a state of despair. She listlessly picked at the breakfast Madam Farmasea had brought in.

Fiona and her mother, Kendra, walked into the wing. Spotting Lily, they rushed over to hug her.

"How are you?" said Kendra softly while smoothing back Lily's hair.

"All right," she mumbled.

"I sent an owl to your parents explaining that there had been an accident, but that you were okay."

"Thanks."

"Lily, is it true? About You-Know-Who...."

"_Shh_, Fiona! Don't bring that up now! What did I tell you?"

"Sorry, Mum."

"Lily, you haven't eaten a thing. Please do try to eat."

"I can't."

Kendra gazed at Lily with compassion. "You poor dear. It must have been very frightening."

Tears rolled down her cheeks. "There was nothing I could do," she croakily whispered.

Kendra gathered Lily into her arms and embraced her tight.

"Honey, I don't think most of us would be able to do anything in a situation like that."

After Lily's tears abated, Fiona and Kendra coaxed her into eating a piece of toast.

Professor Dumbledore, Liam McKinnon, Edward Potter, and a wizard Lily had never seen before entered the hospital room. Slightly bewildered, Lily gazed at Kendra with a questioning expression on her face.

"It's all right, Lily," said Professor Dumbledore. "We're here to find out exactly what happened after you and your friends entered the abandoned building in Hogsmeade. Miss Craven, I'm afraid, is still in no condition to speak at the moment. It's important that we obtain this information as soon as possible."

Lily stared at Kendra while fighting the first glimmers of panic.

"Don't be afraid," said Edward. "It's best that you have it out."

"Holding it in will only make it worse," added the unfamiliar wizard with shoulder length, greying hair.

"Lily, this is Alastor Moody. He's an Auror. You know what an Auror is, correct?" said Dumbledore.

Lily nodded her head.

"Can you tell us exactly what happened once the four of you entered the building?" Liam said.

"Yes," she whispered while watching a beetle scuttle across the floor toward her bed.

"All right. Please start from the beginning, from the point you entered," said Professor Dumbledore gently.

Lily was quiet for a moment. Finally, with a deep breath, she began. "We lit our wands, and then kept walking. We wanted to find a room without doors or windows leading outside, so the manticors wouldn't get us. We found a room, and we thought we were safe. Oliver noticed the crates, and moved towards one for a closer look...."

She continued the tale in a mechanical like voice. When Lily finished, the adults glanced at one another with strained expressions on their faces.

Moody kindly said, "Thank you, dearie."

"Will you be able to find Ivy?"

"We'll try," he replied, and then moved toward the door.

Professor Dumbledore, Liam, and Edward solemnly followed Moody.

"You have to find her," Lily shouted at their receding backs.

"Honey, they will do everything to get her back."

Kendra tried to calm her.

She struggled to get out of bed, with fresh tears rolling swiftly down her face.

"Please! You must find Ivy before it's too late! _Please_! Find Ivy!" Wailing mournfully, Lily fell back onto the bed.

*******

> > Carnage at Hogsmeade
>> 
>> By Rita Skeeter, Correspondent
>> 
>> Words fail to describe the grisly scene that greeted me in Hogsmeade on Saturday, the 13th of October.
>> 
>> Hundreds of Hogwarts students gaily went for their second visit of the term to Hogsmeade, not knowing what would befall them. Lured into a false sense of calm and joy, the students and the town residents alike happily shopped, shared camaraderie at the Three Broomsticks, and enjoyed the thrills at Fantasia Realm Amusement Park.
>> 
>> Then there was an ominous sound heard throughout the village.
>> 
>> "It sounded a bit like drums and Mermish blended together. The way Mermish sounds above water, you know? But not so screechy," said beaver teeth Ned Buffington, a Hogsmeade resident.
>> 
>> It was shortly thereafter that a number of manticors swooped down from the sky and began devouring those unfortunate souls exposed on the streets below. A number of people were fatally stung when pierced by the manticors deadly, scorpion-like tails.
>> 
>> While the manticors were ravaging people on the street, giants were levelling Fantasia Realm Amusement Park and brutally maiming or killing the patrons therein. Scores of Hogwarts students were murdered there.
>> 
>> The following is a harrowing account by Elijah Drew Craven, a dashingly handsome thirteen-year-old lad.
>> 
>> "Chris and me were about to get on the Broomstick Asteroid when we saw them, the giants. I went to look for my sister. Everyone started screaming and running. The giants were smashing everything flat. I saw one pick up a fifth year and break him in half. I ran and shouted for my sister. Then I saw her and her friends trapped on the Flying Cauldrons. Chris and I tried to get them down, but the giants arrived. The whole thing came tumbling down with Thora and her friends still on it. I saw her and her friends tumble out of their cauldron, so I pointed my wand and screamed, '_Retardo_,' to slow them down. But Thora's head hit a beam, so Chris and me ran over to them. My sister's face was covered with blood. We tried to pull them away, to hide them. Then this giant grabbed and threw me. I don't know what happened after that. I have to find my sister."
>> 
>> At that point, medics rushed to the aid of the boy. I noticed that his right arm was broken in several places, and that he had a large lump on his forehead. I was prevented from questioning Craven further.
>> 
>> The final horror of that fateful day occurred in an abandoned building three doors from Dervish and Banges. Four young students ran into the building to escape the manticors only to run into the waiting arms of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. After the students entered the structure, You-Know-Who and his squadron of Death Eaters apparated into the room in which the students huddled in terror. You-Know-Who killed Oliver Arbuckle, son of Bronson and Tilda Arbuckle, as he valiantly tried to protect his female companions. Then the Dark Lord forced the young witches to engage in a macabre game of who would accompany him to who knows where and to what end. Enchantingly pretty, sixteen-year-old Ivy Michelle Wittleston was abducted by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named when she unluckily selected a green painted straw. Miss Wittleston's whereabouts remains unknown.
>> 
>> Scott Sultry, a representative on the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, was devoured when he succumbed to the melodic and powerfully hypnotic voice of a manticor. Several other Ministry officials were injured when they attempted to round up manticors that were pretending to be immobile.
>> 
>> Where was Headmaster Dumbledore while his young charges were being terrorised, maimed, or killed in Hogsmeade? I learned that very few professors accompany the students during their visits to Hogsmeade. Perhaps if more professors were present, fewer lives would have been lost. A close source reported that the absentminded headmaster of Hogwarts was in his office enjoying sherbet lemons, a Muggle sweet, and conversing with his pet bird while students were being brutalised. Query: Are your children safe in the shaky hands of Albus Dumbledore?
>> 
>> Meanwhile, lessons at Hogwarts have been cancelled for two weeks, and all future visits to Hogsmeade, this term, have been cancelled. These measures, of course, will not bring back those lost lives or wipe away the horror many students witnessed or experienced.
>> 
>> All told, two hundred and nineteen were killed in Hogsmeade on the 13th of October; one hundred and twenty-three of those were Hogwarts students. Scores were injured. Fantasia Realm Amusement Park no longer exists, thanks to the giants.

*******

During the next several weeks, the students grieved over their slain peers and attempted to sort out their jumbled emotions. The news of Ivy's abduction devastated Remus. A number of students pestered Lily and Daisy for Lord Voldemort's description until Professor Dumbledore put a stop to it. The students such as Elijah, Chris, Thora, and others who had been seriously injured recovered completely from their wounds. Madam Pomfrey conducted a brisk business in sleeping draughts to aid those students whose rest was disturbed by nightmares.

*******

One Saturday, in late November, Ivy's parents arrived to collect their daughter's belongings. Lily, Fiona, Daisy, and Samantha were on their respective beds engaging in quiet activity when Remus entered the room with Ivy's parents and young brother. The girls quickly sat up when the group walked through the doorway.

Daisy stood, and introduced the group to her roommates. "This is Ivy's mother; her father; and brother, Andrew. Mr. and Mrs. Wittleston, and Andrew, this is Samantha, Fiona, and Lily."

They exchanged pleasantries.

"They're here to pick up Ivy's things," Remus said, quietly.

For a brief moment, there was an uncomfortable silence, which was broken by Daisy.

"Here, this is where she slept." Daisy directed Ivy's family to an undisturbed bed, on which a small, stuffed wolf was perched.

"Remus, why don't you and I grab the trunk and take it downstairs?" Mr. Wittleston said.

Ivy's father and Remus lifted the trunk and exited the room.

Mrs. Wittleston began to pick up the small items left on Ivy's night table and on the window seat by her bed while Andrew, age nine, self-consciously gazed at the girls in the room.

"Er, would you like a bag to put those in?" Lily ventured. "I have one."

"Yes, thank you."

Lily walked over to Mrs. Wittleston with a plain coloured bag. She opened it wide so that Mrs. Wittleston could place the items into it. At that moment, Remus and Mr. Wittleston re-entered the room.

"Is that everything?" said Mr. Wittleston.

"No," said Fiona with tears in her eyes. She handed two brightly coloured bags to Mrs. Wittleston. "Ivy bought these...in Hogsmeade...the day...the day she was taken."

Mrs. Wittleston reached out to take the parcels, with mouth trembling and tears springing into her eyes. She peeked into the bags and whispered, "Thank you."

"Come on, honey," Mr. Wittleston said as he placed an arm around his wife.

They turned to leave the room, with Remus and the girls following. Downstairs, in the common room, the group bade farewell to the Wittleston clan. Suddenly, Andrew separated from the party and bolted upstairs.

"Andy!" called out Mr. Wittleston confused. "Where is he off to?"

"I'll get him," Daisy yelled while running up the stairs leading to the girls' dormitory.

Halfway up, Daisy encountered Andrew on his way back down. He carried the stuffed wolf that had been left on Ivy's bed.

Before the Wittlestons left the common room, Professor McGonagall entered. "Do you have everything?" she said, softly.

Mr. and Mrs. Wittleston nodded their heads.

"Very well then, I'll escort you down."

As Mr. and Mrs. Wittleston turned to leave the room, Lily rushed up to Mrs. Wittleston and hugged her. "I'm terribly sorry about Ivy. I hope she's found soon," whispered Lily starting to cry.

"Thank you, dear," Mrs. Wittleston returned Lily's embrace and began to weep.

Fiona, Daisy, Samantha, and Remus each hugged Mrs. Wittleston. Then they embraced Mr. Wittleston and Andrew.

"Here," said Andrew hoarsely as held out the stuffed wolf to Remus. "You should keep it."

Remus slowly took the toy from Andrew. Slowly turning the stuffed wolf in his hands, Remus burst into tears. Andrew, crying, threw his arms around Remus' waist and held onto him tightly.

"Come, we must go now." With a sorrowful expression on his face, Mr. Wittleston gently disengaged Remus and Andrew.

"Remus, come and visit us sometime," Mrs. Wittleston tearfully said as she turned to leave the room. "You know you're always welcome in our home."

The Wittlestons and Professor McGonagall exited the Gryffindor tower. Sadly, Lily turned to go back upstairs. She saw Remus standing alone in anguish, with one hand holding the stuffed wolf and the other gripping his hair as though to stop it from flying away. Lily went to Remus and enfolded him in her arms. Fiona then joined them, with Samantha and Daisy following.

*******

In a clearing, on a wind swept hill overlooking a dense forest, stood masked figures. A Grim Reaper with the eyes of a demon towered in the centre of the circle. His hand gripped the shoulder of the girl beside him. Her hazel eyes were vacant, and seemed to gaze inward upon an internal hell. She was skeletally thin and ill appearing. The demon spoke, but his words were lost. The sound of the wind was loud in her ears. The trees sighed and swayed. Suddenly, there was clarity.

"Wilhelm, you have done well, my ever faithful servant. Ten new recruits in the past two weeks, correct?"

"Yes, Master."

The girl seemed to awaken from her nightmare.

"Professor? Professor Konrad?" she inquired in a weak, faltering voice.

The she ran, stumbling, to the wizard and grasped his cloak into her hands. "Please, sir! Please, Professor, take me away! I want to go home!" she pleaded with desperation.

The dark wizard, Wilhelm, roughly shoved the girl. She fell to the ground in a heap, and wept pitifully.

The frightening wizard with the red eyes grabbed a handful of the girl's remaining dark, lustreless curls, and yanked her onto her feet.

"You shall be well rewarded for your undying support and loyalty, _Professor_ Konrad."

"Thank you. Thank you, My Lord. I am much grateful." The Death Eater, Professor Konrad, bowed.

The Dark Lord disapparated, taking Ivy with him.

A large piece of parchment fell from the sky, and landed at her feet. A date was written upon it: 6 December.

Lily awakened. Her pillow was drenched with tears.

*******

Several hours later, at the prefects' table, Lily dejectedly picked at the items on her breakfast plate.

"Lily, what's wrong? You're so pale," commented James with an expression of concern on his face.

Deeply musing over the dream, Lily did not acknowledge him.

Perplexed, James glanced over at Sirius, who shrugged in response.

"Lily?"

Without warning, Lily leapt from her seat as though it had turned into a porcupine. She grabbed her bag, and exclaimed more to herself, "I must see Professor Dumbledore!"

Swiftly, Lily exited the hall.

James, with a brief hesitation, followed.

"Lily!" James panted as he caught up with her.

"I must see Professor Dumbledore!" Lily said.

"Has anything unusual happened?"

"I must see Professor Dumbledore!" she reiterated.

"All right. We're almost there."

About a minute later, they reached Professor Dumbledore's office just as he was leaving it.

"Professor!" said Lily as she drew level with him.

"Yes?" Professor Dumbledore gazed at Lily and James with concern.

"A long time ago, you told me to inform you if I ever had an unusual dream. I did, last night."

"Indeed?"

Lily nodded her head.

"Then I shall hear it. Blood Pops."

The seemingly inanimate gargoyle jumped aside to allow them through a door leading to an upward spiralling staircase. A short moment later, Lily and James entered Professor Dumbledore's spacious and intriguing office. Fawkes flew over to greet them.

"Please sit, Miss Evans, and share your dream. I am sure Mr. Potter is interested in hearing it as well."

"I am," said James gravely, with Fawkes on his shoulder.

Slowly, Lily described the vision. Professor Dumbledore's expression became strained and worried when she described Ivy's condition. He gave her a sharp penetrating glance when she mentioned Professor Konrad. Then Professor Dumbledore's entire countenance became grim.

James blurted out, "I _knew_ he was a Death Eater!"

Professor Dumbledore raised his hand to stay James, and then looked at Lily. "Please continue."

Lily finished the rest of her tale, and added, "Professor, the sixth was only four days ago. We must find her before it's too late!"

Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair, and then began to pace the floor.

"This is important. Was there anything about the place you recognised? Did it seem familiar, a place you have been before?"

Lily slowly shook her head. "Noooo," and then more firmly, "No. I didn't recognise it."

Shoulders slumping, he sighed. "In the past, have you had any other dreams of Lord Voldemort?"

"Noooo...Wait! I did...this past summer."

"Tell me about it."

Lily briefly recounted the nightmare she had during the summer holidays. Professor Dumbledore gave her a swift indefinable look when she described Lord Voldemort uttering the Killing Curse.

"I was so afraid when I saw him...in Hogsmeade. I thought my dream was coming true...that he was going to kill me."

Sombrely, Professor Dumbledore said, "It was not you in the dream he killed."

Frowning, Lily stared at him. Then the meaning of his statement suddenly sank in. Fear and intense sadness washed over her.

James softly said, "Ivy."

Unbidden, tears flowed from Lily's eyes as she stood. She exclaimed, "Professor, you must find Ivy before it's too late."

"Believe me when I say that the Ministry is doing all that it can to locate Miss Wittleston," he replied. "I fear, sometimes, that time is running against us."

Fawkes returned to his perch by the door.

"Professor, what about Konrad? Will he be looked into?" said James.

"I assure you Wilhelm Konrad will be investigated," he responded with a hardened expression on his face. "I also have reason to suspect him of being a Death Eater. Lily's dream only reinforces my suspicion."

"Er, what made you suspicious of him?" pressed James.

Professor Dumbledore gazed unwaveringly at James for a brief moment. "I believe that it would be unwise, James, for me to reveal that at this time."

"Oh."

"It is time for you two to depart. Your first lesson starts in five minutes." He then added, "Please keep this conversation between yourselves."

On their way out the door, Professor Dumbledore gently said, "Not a day goes by that I don't think of Miss Wittleston. I am doing everything in my power to see that she is found in time."

*******

> > Abducted Hogwarts Student Meets Tragic End
>> 
>> By Rita Skeeter, Correspondent
>> 
>> The broken body of Ivy Michelle Wittleston, who had been kidnapped by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named a few months ago, was found at the base of a rocky cliff on the Island of Mull, on the 15th of December. Like her predecessors, Dewdroppe and Ridgecrest, Miss Wittleston was found with the Mark of Dominus, an image of a serpent coiled around a unicorn, branded on the base of her neck. Miss Wittleston's parents were unable to be located for comment. Ivy was sixteen years old.
>> 
>> On a related note: Wilhelm Konrad, the ravishingly handsome, young, and sinister Hogwarts' professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts has vanished, his whereabouts unknown. Several sources stated that Konrad was a Death Eater, and was being investigated about the circumstances surrounding Miss Wittleston's disappearance. Close sources have informed me that someone within the Ministry tipped off Konrad that he was being scrutinised. Shortly afterwards, the Death Eater fled Hogwarts, taking all of his possessions with him. Obviously, the Ministry is riddled with spies working for You-Know-Who. The question is: How much of a role did Konrad play in Ivy Wittleston's abduction, torture, and death?

*******

Lily, Fiona, Samantha, and Daisy sobbed noisily. A few hours earlier, in the Great Hall, Professor Dumbledore announced to the students that Ivy had been found slain. Quietly, he told the stunned and grieving students that the Yule Ball was cancelled, along with Defence Against the Dark Arts, as they no longer had a teacher.

Suddenly, Lily leapt from the bed and ran blindly out the Gryffindor Tower. Her long nightgown and ember coloured hair streamed behind her. She raced, unheeded, through the corridors, and then outside the castle into the frigid air while attempting to escape the immense aching pain lodged in her chest. Eventually, coughing and sobbing, Lily collapsed at the edge of the lake.

Awkwardly rising, she stood and screamed at the indifferent stars, "Why? Why? _WHY_?"

Lily ungainly lowered herself back down to the snow-covered ground; wrapped her arms around her knees; and wailed plaintively while rocking back and forth. So intense was her grief that she was unaware of the bone chilling cold.

Startled, she heard a stealthy sound behind her. Lily turned, still weeping, to see James approaching.

"Come, Lily," he said, his voice hoarse as though he had been crying. "It's too cold out here. You'll become ill."

He removed his cloak and placed it around Lily's shoulders. Gently, James grabbed her by the arm and helped her to an upright position.

"Why, James? _Why_?"

He took Lily tightly into his arms.

"Why is there evil?"

*******

A significant number of students failed to return to Hogwarts after the Christmas holiday. Daisy Craven and her siblings, Elijah and Thora, were among those who did not come back. Daisy had sent a letter to Lily, Fiona, and Samantha stating that her parents did not feel safe anywhere in Europe, and therefore had decided to move to New Zealand, where they had distant relatives. The sixth year Gryffindor girls' room felt empty without Ivy and Daisy.

Remus became despondent when he learned of Ivy's death during the preceding month, and returned to school nearly unresponsive in his grief.

Frank Longbottom, studying to be an Auror, temporarily took the assignment of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor until a permanent instructor could be found. Frank's presence slightly cheered up the still grieving students. Professor Chloride assumed the Head of Slytherin.

*******

On a bright, chilly Saturday afternoon in early February, the entire Hogwarts student body queued up outside the castle, in four columns representing each House. Each person held a red carnation. Headmaster Dumbledore was at the front of the entire procession. Following him, were the Heads of Houses at the front of each queue. The Head Boy, Head Girl, and Prefects were behind the Heads of Houses. The rest of the students followed, with the professors bringing up the rear. Solemnly, the school body marched toward Hogsmeade, where a memorial was being dedicated to those had been slain on a fateful day in October.

They reached Hogsmeade and entered the location where a tall structure in the shape of a dark purple obelisk stood. The pillar occupied the place where the centre of Fantasia Realm Amusement Park had been. Across its surface, in gold lettering, the names of those who had been slain alternately flashed and scrolled at regular intervals. Lily spotted Ivy's and Oliver's names scrolling across the tower's smooth surface.

The mayor of Hogsmeade stepped up onto a dais and addressed the large congregation composed of the family of the slain; the town's residents; top ranking officials from the Ministry of Magic; and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Tears spilled from Lily's eyes as she listened to Mayor Carlow. At the end of the Mayor's dedication, the Minister of Magic gave a brief speech, followed by Headmaster Dumbledore. At the conclusion of his oratory, Professor Dumbledore waved his wand in a grand arc. Numerous white doves sprang forth from his wand and took flight into the late winter, blue sky. The Hogwarts students then filed silently past the obelisk to place their carnations at its base.

*******

"It's useless! I'm going to fail this exam," exclaimed Fiona in frustration.

The exam in question was in Foreign Tongues, to be taken on the twenty-eighth of March, which was in two days.

"Didn't you place your memories of the lesson in your pensieve?" retorted Samantha.

"Yes, but it's all confused with the other thoughts that were going through my head while Professor Lengua was lecturing us. I just can't reach the memories of the lesson! There is no way I'm going to pass German. I don't even know how to say how are you!"

"Wie geht es Ihnen?" replied Lily and Samantha at the same time.

"Fi, did you try sorting your memories from your thoughts?" said Lily.

"Yes! It didn't work," Fiona moaned.

"I think I can help," Lily said while getting up from her bed to sit on Fiona's.

At the start of the year, each student in Foreign Tongues was furnished with a small pensieve to store their memories of each lesson. Professor Lengua had given the students a short lesson on how to capture their memories, place them in the pensieve, and extract them. However, extracting a particular memory was quite difficult. Learning how to do this successfully each time determined how well a student would perform in class. At the end of the year, the students were to return the pensieves, emptied of their memories.

"I discovered this charm I call 'The Discriminator' to separate internal thoughts from external experience."

"You're joking!" Samantha said, incredulously.

"I'm not," replied Lily modestly. "I had to come up with something; otherwise, I would have failed the last two exams miserably."

"I didn't know you were having difficulty with Foreign Tongues," commented Fiona.

"It wasn't that I was having difficulty with the languages...It was because of...everything that had happened, Ivy and Oliver and everything else. I was so depressed that I couldn't properly concentrate."

"That's understandable," replied Samantha. "I was upset, too. For awhile, every time I looked at Ivy's and Daisy's empty beds I burst into tears."

"Me, too," Fiona added. "It broke my heart every time I saw Remus. He was so heartsick over Ivy...and still is, but not as bad off. He really loved her."

For a moment, the three girls were quiet.

Samantha broke the silence. "All right then, show us this Discriminator Charm you came up with, Lily."

"Okay, I'll show you using Fi."

"What?"

"It's the only way you're going to learn. Besides, we aren't allowed to sift through each other's memories, remember? It's the reason we are to lock up our pensieves when we aren't using them. Now, stir your memories."

Fiona placed her wand in the bowl, and stirred the odd white, shimmering contents.

"All right, that's good enough. Remove your wand, place it toward your temple, and say, '_Discrimino_.'"

Fiona followed Lily's instructions.

"Now, extract the memory you want."

Fiona tapped the side of the pensieve with her wand and said, "_Accio recordatio_." Then she placed her finger into the swirling contents of the bowl.

Lily and Samantha watched while Fiona relived a past Foreign Tongues lesson. Her eyes had a glassy, far away appearance. Suddenly, a smile overspread Fiona's face and she returned to the present.

"It worked, Lily! I got it! I have German!"

"Ooooh, show _me_!" demanded Samantha.

*******

"I deliberately chose to delay the lesson we will begin today. This is a lesson that all of you must learn...the sooner, the better. It will be on the final exam coming up next month."

The students in Defence Against the Dark Arts listened to Professor Longbottom with rapt attention.

"I chose to wait to allow each of you a chance to move past your grief over the senseless murder of your fellow students."

Professor Longbottom began to walk between the rows of desks. The students' heads turned to follow his progress.

"Some of you may be personally familiar with the curses that are integral to this particular lesson; a few of you may have witnessed them being uttered or had the misfortune of one being placed on you. Of course, if _one_ of the curses had been placed on you, you would not be here, except maybe in ghostly form."

Professor Longbottom returned to the front of the room.

"I am referring to the Unforgivable Curses."

A ripple of whispers spread out across the room in the wake of this pronouncement.

"There are three Unforgivable Curses: Cruciatus, Imperius, and Killing."

A chill ran through Lily as Professor Longbottom listed the curses.

"The Cruciatus Curse inflicts excruciating pain on the victim; the Imperius Curse places the victim under complete control of the one who has cast the curse; and the Killing Curse, er, kills the victim. You can defend yourself against the Imperius and Cruciatus Curses, but there is no known defence against the Killing Curse.

"For the next two weeks, we will study the Unforgivable Curses in depth. Your first assignment will be to write five rolls of parchment on the history of these curses: who invented them; what was their original purpose; and how they became unforgivable. After you have learned their background, I will demonstrate these curses on creatures we all loathe. Then, I will have you research ways in which you can counteract the Cruciatus and Imperius Curses, in case they are ever placed on you.

"Are there any questions?"

The students shook their heads.

"All righty then. Please open your textbooks to page six hundred and twenty-three."

*******

"It must have been hard for those two this year, with Frank being a professor. I mean, wouldn't it be weird to have your boyfriend as your professor?" remarked Samantha.

Lily, James, Fiona, Sirius, Samantha, Remus, and Peter were sprawled out on a grassy bank by the lake with a pitcher of iced pumpkin juice between them. They had just completed their last exam of the year, and were watching Professor Longbottom and Diana Pheasant stroll the grounds.

"This was her last year, so they must be happy," Fiona replied.

"I heard that they plan to marry when Diana's twenty," piped up Peter. "Frank expects to be a full-fledged Auror by then."

"My dad said that he shows much promise," James added.

"Somehow I find it difficult to picture Frank as an Auror," said Sirius. "He's so friendly and easygoing."

"He can be strong and forceful when he wants, and he's quick with a wand," Lily chimed in. "I remember that time when I attended the Yule Ball for the first time, and that prat Macnair insulted me." Lily recounted what happened at the Yule Ball during her third year.

"Doesn't Macnair work for the Ministry?" said Remus.

"No! You must be joking!" Lily replied in surprise.

"Aye, he does, but I can't remember which department," said Samantha.

"But...but, he's _rotten_! He supports the Dark Lord; I'm sure of it!" Lily said in consternation.

"How d'you know?" said Peter.

"I just do!"

"Well, the Ministry wouldn't hire a known Death Eater," Peter commented.

Snape, Rosier, Avery, Wilkes, and Nott walked by the group just as James placed his arm around Lily. Scowls and hostile looks were exchanged.

"I would watch who I associated with, Lily," said Snape acidly. Then his eyes briefly flitted over to Remus. "You never know if they're going to bite."

Lily and James glared at Snape.

"Funny we were discussing Death Eaters when that lot went by," Sirius said while glowering at Snape's receding back. "I'm willing to wager each of you ten Galleons that all five of them are Death Eaters."

Remus snorted. "No one is going to take you up on that wager, Padfoot."

"I'm considering becoming an Auror," James said, quietly.

"A noble cause, Prongs. Perhaps I shall join you in your pursuit," remarked Sirius.

"The Ministry desperately needs help putting an end to Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters," said James. "According to my dad, Lord Voldemort's support seems to be growing every day. Of course, it doesn't help that so many are afraid...and prefer to keep silent and not join in the fight."

"Perhaps I will join you, too, Jamie...if you decide to become an Auror. I'll do anything to help stamp out evil."

James smiled at Lily.

"Count me in, also," said Fiona.

*******

A few days later, the exam results were posted. Lily performed better than she expected. A day after that, the students returned home for the much needed summer holidays.


	25. Lily and James

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XXV: _Lily and James_**

Lily and James slowly strolled, hand in hand, through the Museum of Quidditch.

Pointing at two tall poles topped with baskets, James snorted, "Look at those goal posts."

He enjoyed spending time at the museum and pretending that each visit was his first.

"That's much better, not to mention _safer_, than having to catch rocks into a cauldron strapped on top of your head. Honestly, what were they thinking back then?"

"Obviously, not at all."

"Jamie, look at this! The wizard who invented the Golden Snitch was from Godric's Hollow. Perhaps he was one of your distant relatives."

"Maybe," he smiled.

Lily stopped and stared up at him.

"What?"

Narrowing her eyes, she responded, "_Are_ you a relative of Bowman Wright?"

"What do you think, Tiger Lily?"

"I don't know. That is the reason I'm asking."

"But you didn't answer my question."

"I _did_. I said I didn't know."

"Sure you do."

"_James_," she replied, exasperated.

"_Lily_," retorted James with mirth in his eyes and a teasing expression on his face.

"I _hate_ it when you do that."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"So...can I conclude that you answered your own question?"

Haughtily, Lily stated, "Yes. I reckon someone as woefully inept as yourself couldn't _possibly_ be related to a distinguished and brilliant wizard such as Bowman Wright."

"_Ouch_! And this from a witch, who just _two weeks ago_, mind you, opened a jar containing thirty _billywigs,_ imported from Australia, because she felt _sorry_ for them."

Lily's face turned scarlet.

"We're just two inept peas in a pod, aren't we, love?"

She started laughing. "It was a bit funny when Mrs. Pettigrew walked into the kitchen and saw all six of us floating above the table."

"Yes, but it _wasn't_ funny when we were stuck hovering for two days."

"Do you know what I would like?"

"More brains?"

Lily playfully hit James on the arm, and said, "No. I have more than I can handle, thank you very much. More than you, I might add."

"From the girl who releases billywigs to sting her chums no less than five times because she feels sorry for them."

"At least _I_ didn't deliberately _not_ blow my nose for three days while suffering from a head cold to see if a puffskein would become full eating my bogies."

His face red, James exclaimed, "You win."

Lily laughed. "I would like a Snidget. That's what I would like."

"I'll try to find and catch one for you."

*******

A day after Lily's seventeenth birthday, she received the following letter.

> > > _Dear Miss Evans, _
>>> 
>>> _Congratulations! _
>>> 
>>> _You have been selected as Hogwarts Head Girl. As Head Girl, you will be responsible for upholding the school code, encouraging and motivating your fellow students to be their best by modelling the appropriate behaviour, and, most important, representing the student body by speaking on its behalf. The primary function of Head Girl is that of **leadership**. _
>>> 
>>> _Each week, on Wednesdays, after your last lesson of the day, you will preside over the Prefect meeting along with the Head Boy, James Potter of Gryffindor. In these meetings, you will discuss various issues pertaining to the school such as ways in which to improve instruction and deportment, and offer ideas to the teaching staff. You will also be responsible for ensuring that the students in your house know the password and that they use it properly. At times, you will be required to work closely with the Headmaster. Your first meeting will be held at 4:15 P.M. on the 12th of September. _
>>> 
>>> _Attached is a list of this year's prefects and incoming first years. _
>>> 
>>> _Again, congratulations! _
>>> 
>>> _Sincerely, _
>>> 
>>> _Minerva McGonagall_
>>> 
>>> Minerva McGonagall,
>>> 
>>> _Deputy Headmistress _
>>> 
>>> _Note: Enclosed is your Head Girl badge. It must be worn in school at all times. _

Lily jumped up and down with joy, and then grabbed a quill and parchment to write to James.

*******

Lily, feeling apprehensive, sat in the living room with her family and waited for James to arrive. She anxiously wondered whether her parents would like him. Already, she knew her older sister would not.

Just then, Petunia grumbled, "I really don't see why I must be here."

"Petunia, we've already been through this a hundred times," said Wesley. "It will not hurt you to meet Lily's boyfriend."

Petunia mumbled incoherently under her breath.

There was a knock at the front door, and Lily rose to answer it. Through the spy hole, she spotted James. She opened the door wide to welcome him inside. James appeared as nervous as she felt.

"Hullo," Lily said, a bit formally.

"Hi."

"Er, come in."

James stepped across the threshold and into the Evans' residence. Wesley walked over to James and extended his right hand.

Shaking James' hand, Wesley said, "Hello. Welcome to our home. I'm Wesley, Lily's father, of course. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Lily speaks highly of you. Quite often, I might add."

Lily blushed.

Turning to Zinnia, Wesley introduced her to James.

"This is our eldest daughter, Petunia."

Petunia, eighteen, muttered, "Hello," while avoiding eye contact with James. She ignored his outstretched hand.

James, glancing over at Lily, dropped his gesture of friendliness.

Lily glared at Petunia.

Dispelling the awkward moment, Zinnia piped up, "You must be hungry, James. Why don't we head to the table?" Then she added, "Petunia, I need you to help me carry the food out."

Petunia sullenly followed her mother into the kitchen.

Once seated at the table, Wesley said, "Interesting hairstyle you have there."

Reddening slightly, James attempted to smooth his naturally unruly hair.

"No need to try to tidy it up, son. I understand young folks nowadays. Trying to establish your independence by rebelling against convention, eh?"

At that moment, Lily wished that the floor would open up and swallow her.

Zinnia and Petunia briskly entered the room carrying platters of food, which they placed on the table. Once the dishes were arranged and everyone seated, Wesley blessed the table.

Halfway through the main course, Wesley said to James, "What do you plan to do once you're out of school?"

James swallowed. "Er, I'm thinking of working for the Ministry of Magic...."

Petunia distracted them by choking on a piece of steak. Alarmed by Petunia's bright red face and teary eyes, Zinnia leapt from her chair and thumped Petunia on the back. The piece of partially chewed steak flew from Petunia's mouth, and narrowly missed James. Zinnia, with a napkin in hand, bent to pick up the meat from the carpeted floor.

Once recovered, Petunia said, "May I be excused? I lost my appetite."

"All right," Wesley replied with disapproval.

With a quick nasty glance in James' direction, Petunia hurried from the room.

Returning to business, Wesley said, "Where were we? Ah, yes, the Ministry of Magic. What are you planning to do in this Ministry?"

"I'm thinking of working in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as an Auror."

"What's an Auror?" said Zinnia frowning.

"An Auror is someone who tracks down dark wizards," replied Lily. "They're like detectives."

"Oh. Sounds like a worthy ambition," Wesley commented. "Does it bring in much money?"

"Dad!" Lily wailed, indignantly.

"It's all right," James said to Lily, and then he turned to Wesley. "The pay is decent, if that's what you're asking, sir."

"I need to know. I want my daughter to marry someone respectable, someone who would be able to provide for her."

Lily, face burning, wished that she could disappear.

Wesley continued. "Are you thinking of marrying my daughter?"

Lily and James' faces turned beet red.

"Honey, they are too young to be contemplating marriage," jumped in Zinnia.

"Zin, I just want to know how serious he is about our daughter." He returned to James. "I do hope you have been keeping your hands to yourself, if you catch my train of thought."

Lily slid slightly down in her chair, and groaned. She had never been so humiliated in her life.

Wesley, who seemed unable to stop, proceeded heedlessly on. "I was your age once, son; although, it may not seem like it. Most boys your age are only after one thing."

Clapping her hands to her burning, scarlet face, Lily slid lower in her chair.

"I don't want you pressuring my daughter to do anything she isn't ready for. We've raised her to be a proper young lady, magical or not.

"In other words, I don't want you impregnating my daughter out of wedlock, and then running from your responsibility. I would have to hunt you down and flog you with every inch of your life."

Completely mortified, Lily groaned louder and sank lower in her chair. Only the top of her head could be seen from above the table.

"Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes, sir," replied James, his face scarlet.

"So, you haven't been behaving inappropriately with my daughter? Been keeping your curious hands to yourself? Haven't been pressuring her to engage in any activity that ought to be done only between loving spouses?"

"Er, no, sir."

"Good. All in all, you look like a sensible fellow. I can trust you where my daughter is concerned, eh?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well then. I will hold you to that, Mr. Potter." He then added, "Lily, I'm done. You can sit up in your chair now."

"James, Lily told me that you were made Head Boy," commented Zinnia.

"Aye."

"Sensible and intelligent, that one is," Wesley remarked. "No danger of him ruining our daughter's reputation."

Ignoring Wesley, Zinnia said, "Congratulations to you as well. We're very proud of our daughter." She smiled fondly at Lily.

"I seem to recall meeting you and your father a few years ago," said Wesley. "You were quite a young lad. Weren't you snorting in your pudding?"

"Er, yes."

"I hope you have grown past that tendency," Wesley lightly teased.

James grinned. "I have, sir."

"Please, call me Wesley."

"Lily, will you help me with the pudding?"

Lily rose from the table and followed her mother into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Zinnia said, "I just wanted your father to spend a few minutes alone with James."

"Oh."

"He seems like a nice fellow. I think your father likes him."

Lily gazed at her mother while absently noting a tired, worn look on her face.

"What about you, Mum? Do you like him?"

She sighed. "I don't know, yet. It's just that I'm afraid he's going to take you away from us."

"Mum, no one is going to take me away from you and Dad."

"It really bothers me that you are so wrapped up in that world. I worry about you. I suppose you're going to get a job in that Ministry of Magic when you leave school, correct?"

Lily did not respond.

Zinnia sighed heavily. "I thought so. Lily, I don't know. It's just that I have a bad feeling about all of this, as though something terrible is going to happen. I wish you would reconsider, and find a job in our world. Find and marry a man in our world."

Alarmed, Lily replied, "Mum, why do feel something terrible is going to happen?"

"I don't know. It seems all wrapped up in that magical world. I feel that you are in some kind of danger."

"Mum! I'm _fine_. I am in no danger."

"What about what happened last year? All those students who were killed? Sweetheart, one of them could have been you!"

"Oh, Mum, please don't worry about me. I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself. People are killed in this world all the time. The odds of me being killed in this world are about the same as in the magical world. I'll be fine. So, _don't worry_."

"I just don't know, honey. I have an uneasy feeling about all of this. Perhaps I'm being overprotective. Perhaps I'm unwilling to let you go, yet. I remember vividly, as though it were yesterday, the day you were born, the first time I held you in my arms...." Zinnia quickly turned toward the sink to hide the tears that Lily had already caught.

"Mum," Lily said, a bit sadly.

Then she hugged her mother tightly.

"I'm still your little girl, just a whole lot bigger, that's all. Please promise me that you will not worry about me."

Zinnia wiped the tears from her face. "Honey, that's what parents do: worry about their children. One day, you will see."

Placing her hands on her hips, Lily sternly said, "I want you to stop worrying about me, Mum, especially my future. You can worry when we get to that point. All right?"

Zinnia smiled. "You're such a sweetheart, Lily. I wish...." Then she sighed.

"What, Mum? What do you wish?"

"Never mind. I was about to say something I would later regret."

"Oh," she said, and then hesitated. "Mum, how are _you_ doing? Lately, you seem to tire easily."

"Yes, well, don't worry about it, dear. I probably need more vitamins."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. More exercise wouldn't hurt either."

"Perhaps you should see a doctor. Has Dad noticed?"

"Yes, he's concerned. He believes I should see my doctor."

"Dad's right, Mum. _Go see your doctor_."

Zinnia patted her daughter softly on the cheek. "All right, you've convinced me, special daughter of mine.

"We better bring these puddings to the table or else your father and James will wonder where we've gotten ourselves to."

Upon exiting the kitchen, they heard a burst of male laughter.

Carrying her favourite chocolate pudding, Lily smiled.

*******

Petunia, her best friends Lauren and Kate, and two unfamiliar young men entered the house while Lily dusted the mantle.

Lily stopped cleaning and absently brushed a stray lock of hair from her face.

"Hullo," said the dark haired man while staring at Lily as though he liked what he saw.

"Hello," replied Lily.

The man turned to Petunia. "I didn't know you had a sister. How come you never told me you had a sister?"

"You never asked," Petunia snapped, icily.

He returned his attention to Lily.

"So, what's your name?"

"Lily."

"Lily." He seemed to taste it. "That's pretty."

"Let's head out back," Petunia interrupted. "Come _on_."

Lauren, Kate, and the blonde haired man proceeded to follow Petunia.

"I'll catch up," shouted the young man standing in front of Lily.

He returned his gaze onto her. "By the way, I'm Ryan. Ryan White."

"Pleased to meet you."

Ryan stared intently at Lily for about a minute, which made her feel very uncomfortable.

"You're so pretty. Your eyes...they're splendid. I've never seen such striking, green eyes."

"Erm, thanks."

"I don't know if your sister told you, but I have my own band. We call ourselves the Bloodhounds."

"Oh. She never told me."

"Perhaps you should stop by someday to hear us play."

She shrugged. "Erm, all right."

"What school do you go to?"

"Er, Hogwarts."

"Never heard of it. Is it an independent school?"

"Aye."

"Erm...I hope you don't mind me asking, but...do you have a boyfriend?"

"Yes."

Ryan's shoulders slumped with disappointment. "Are you two serious?"

"Yes."

"Blimey, he's so lucky to have you! What's his name? Is he from around here?"

"James. He doesn't live around here."

"What a lucky bloke to have a girl like you!"

He gazed at her briefly, and then said, "If you two ever decide to call it quitsville, please look me up, eh?"

Lily simply smiled.

"I guess I better head out back before Tuna Fish comes looking for me. Nice meeting you, Lily."

*******

There were only three days remaining before Lily returned to Hogwarts for her final year. She sat on the bed gently stroking Snowball. Lily decided to leave Snowball behind when she went back to school. The fluffy, white Persian was too feeble, and his arthritis had become progressively worse. The disease severely limited his mobility. Snowball had difficulty reaching his litter box at times, even with the magical mobile settee. Climbing stairs and jumping onto furniture were too much of a challenge for the elderly and infirm cat. Lily had Snowball for fifteen years, and the thought of her being at Hogwarts without him hurt her deeply.

Petunia barged into the room and shattered Lily's thoughts.

"_How dare you_?" screamed Petunia.

"What are you _talking_ about?"

"What are you _talking_ about?" Petunia cruelly mimicked. "You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about, you abnormal freak!"

Lily gently lifted Snowball from her lap and placed him on the bed.

Petunia's screeching awakened Heidi, who was observing the scene with a decidedly disgruntled air.

"Look, Petunia, please tell me what this is all about or leave my room."

"I'll tell you, you freak! You stole Ryan from me! You knew I liked him, but you wanted him for yourself. You're just greedy and spoiled, always taking what should be mine!"

Thunderstruck, Lily responded, "Have you gone _mad_? I have _no_ interest in Ryan! I already have a boyfriend, remember?"

"One isn't enough for you, is it, Lily? You've gone and bewitched Ryan somehow. He's written a song all about you, _Lily, Emerald Eyes_!"

"I had nothing to do with that!"

"Oh really? I'm willing to wager that you placed some sorcery on Ryan, to turn him away from me. One boy simply isn't enough for you. You're just a filthy whore, aren't you, freak?"

Lily slapped Petunia across the face.

Petunia rushed to Lily's armoire and snatched up the Dragon's Lair that James had given to Lily on her fifteenth birthday.

"Put that back, Petunia!"

"I _hate_ you, Lily! I hate you! I've hated you all my life! Do you hear me? I _hate_ you, and _I wish you were dead_."

Then Petunia forcefully threw the Dragon's Lair to the floor.

"_NO_!"

A bright, red-orange light flashed briefly when the Dragon's Lair made contact with the floor. All that was left was a thousand shards of tiny glass.

Without pausing to think, Lily ran to her desk and grabbed the wand on top of it. Before Petunia could escape, Lily pointed the wand at her back and screamed, "_Segnitia Gastropod_."

At that moment, Zinnia arrived on the scene.

"Lily, what's going on here? What are you and Petunia yelling about?"

Shaking with rage and hurt, Lily was temporarily incapable of speech.

"Where's Petunia?"

Teeth clenched, Lily replied, "By your right foot."

"Wh-What?"

Zinnia glanced down at her feet; let out a screech; and leapt backward.

"_Lily_! What have you _done_? Turn her back!"

Watching the slug that was her sister, Lily retorted, "I won't. She deserved it."

"Lily!"

Just then, an officious, large owl flew into Lily's room and dropped a letter on her head. After carrying out its duty, it promptly exited the scene through the open window. Heidi followed its progress with large, amber coloured eyes.

Lily unfolded the letter at the same time as a knock was heard downstairs.

Briefly torn between scolding Lily and answering the door, Zinnia decided to find out who was knocking.

Lily read the letter while occasionally pausing to watch Petunia the Slug's slow progress towards the door.

> > > _Dear Miss Evans, _
>>> 
>>> _We have received intelligence that a transfiguration charm was used at your place of residence this afternoon at twelve minutes past three. _
>>> 
>>> _As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C). _
>>> 
>>> _We should also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offence under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlock's Statute of Secrecy. _
>>> 
>>> _Enjoy your holidays! _
>>> 
>>> _Yours sincerely, _
>>> 
>>> Mafalda Hopkirk
>>> 
>>> _Mafalda Hopkirk, _
>>> 
>>> _Improper Use of Magic Office _
>>> 
>>> _Ministry of Magic_1

Zinnia returned to the bedroom with two men, who were obviously wizards, in tow.

"Oh, I see you've received the letter. Very good," commented the oldest of the two wizards. "I'm Zylvin Peabody with the Improper Use of Magic Office. This is Arthur Weasley with the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Department. Arthur is undergoing training on how to handle situations in which Muggles unwittingly encounter magic. This explains his presence here."

Unimpressed and unrepentant, Lily looked at both wizards with an eyebrow raised.

"Er, we were alerted that a transfiguration charm was used here," said the wizard with flaming red hair.

Still seething, Lily scathingly exclaimed, "Aye. I turned my rotten sister into a slug. If you don't watch your step, Mr. Weasley, you're going to mush her...as though I really care."

"_Lily_!" Zinnia responded in shock.

"Never mind, Mrs. Evans. We'll handle this," said Peabody.

Weasley returned Petunia to her proper form, which greatly disappointed Lily who had hoped that she would remain a slug for a week.

Trembling and with tears streaming down her face, Petunia slowly backed from the room.

"Mrs. Evans, we would like to speak briefly with you and your daughter," said Peabody.

"Er, sure," Zinnia replied. "Why don't we go downstairs? Come, Petunia."

Curious, Lily followed the group downstairs.

Downstairs, in the living room, Peabody and Weasley pulled out their wands, one pointing at Zinnia and the other at Petunia.

"Now, don't be frightened," said Weasley in a soothing voice. "Everything will be fine."

"Mother!" Petunia grabbed Zinnia and attempted to use her as a shield.

Lily shouted, "What are you doing?"

Ignoring her, Peabody and Weasley said, "_Obliviate_!"

"I better go check on dinner," Zinnia said distractedly while heading towards the kitchen.

Petunia walked upstairs muttering about a blouse.

"You placed a Memory Charm on them!"

"Yes, we did, Miss," replied Peabody. "They will be fine. Don't worry."

Frowning and recalcitrant, Lily exclaimed, "I _wanted_ Petunia to remember what it was like being a slug!"

Peabody and Weasley glanced at each other.

"We must be going," said Weasley.

Without further word, they disapparated.

*******

"Buenos días!"

With the exception of Lily and her friends, the class stared uncomprehendingly at the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.

"Lo siento! I'm sorry. I forget sometimes and lapse into Spanish. I am Profesora, _Professor_, Catalina Pilar Francisco de Alvarez or simply Professor Alvarez. I am from San Luis Potosí, Mexico. En realidad, _actually_, I have been residing in the United Kingdom for a year now. I am on sabbatical for four years, and have three remaining. When I finish my three-year term here, I will return to El Instituto de la Magia. I hope that we will be able to learn from each other. I apologise in advance for my occasional lapses into Spanish, and do hope that you will forgive me for them. By the way, do any of you know Spanish?"

Lily, James, Fiona, Sirius, Remus, Samantha, and Peter raised their hands.

She clapped her hands. "Bueno! Good!"

"Now on to the lesson. During the next tres, _three_, months each of you will learn how to perform the Unforgivable Curses."

Noting the astonished expressions on the students' faces, she added, "Not to worry. The Ministry and Headmaster have granted approval. You will perform the curses on inconsequential creatures, not on each other...."

*******

In Foreign Tongues, Professor Lengua informed the students that they would learn Irish, Norwegian, Lithuanian, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Arabic, Yiddish, Swahili, Mermish, and Troll.

"Good," remarked James. "We'll have the opportunity to grunt at each other."

Several of his peers laughed.

"I assure you, Mr. Potter, that the Troll language is much more than grunts, as you put it," replied Professor Lengua a bit ruffled. "Troll is rich in subtle nuances and meaning."

"Yes, Mr. Potter," said Sirius. "Note the distinction." Then he grunted a few times.

The students laughed louder.

Professor Lengua glared at Sirius. "That will be five points from Gryffindor for your cheek, Mr. Black."

"Will we make awful, screechy noises to each other like mermaids?" said Peter.

The class erupted in guffaws.

Noting Professor Lengua's angry, beady eyes focused on him, Peter exclaimed in an injured tone, "Professor, I'm serious! I'm not trying to be funny. I really do wish to know."

Professor Lengua ignored him and coldly said to the class, "Open your textbooks and answer the fifty questions on page thirty-two, _before you leave this room_."

*******

After the first Prefect meeting of the year, Lily and James walked towards the castle doors to visit Hagrid. Sirius headed in the opposite direction.

"I'll see you two at dinner," Sirius exclaimed on his way to meet Fiona.

Striding down the corridor, holding hands, Lily and James arrived upon Evan Rosier and Damien Wilkes walking in their direction.

Rosier loudly remarked, "I tell you, Damien, Hogwarts is doing to the dogs for allowing Mudbloods and Mudblood-lovers to occupy prestigious roles such as Head Boy and Head Girl."

James let go of Lily's hand, rushed up to Rosier, and slammed him against the wall. "You better watch what you say, you filthy prat," James growled in Rosier's face.

"And you better get your filthy, Mudblood-loving paws off me chum," remarked Wilkes acidly.

"That's fifty points from Slytherin," said Lily coldly, "fifty points _each_."

Glaring contemptuously at Lily, Wilkes opened his mouth to speak. Before he could do so, Lily cut him off.

"Konrad is no longer here to defend you," she said, scathingly. "Have you forgotten? The nasty coward ran, did he not?"

Wilkes glowered at her menacingly.

"Be thankful I didn't remove more points from your house."

James roughly let go of Rosier. "Go on," he said to Rosier and Wilkes. "Get out of here before I remove another one hundred points from Slytherin."

Throwing hostile glances at Lily and James, Rosier and Wilkes skulked away.

Lily and James proceeded on to Hagrid's house.

*******

"Hullo, James, Lily. C'min!"

They stepped inside.

"I've gotta bone ter pick with yeh two."

Puzzled, Lily and James glanced at each other.

"Er, what did we do?" ventured James.

"Yeh didn't show up last Saturday after I invited yeh two over ter celebrate becoming Head Boy and Head Girl, that's what!"

"What?" Lily and James shouted in surprise.

"We didn't _get_ any invitation," replied James indignantly.

"What?" thundered Hagrid. "I sent yeh two a letter by owl last Friday morning!"

"Hagrid, we didn't get it," said Lily adamantly, "otherwise, we would've shown up. We wouldn't have ignored you!"

Hagrid frowned ponderously. "That's awful odd, I tell yeh. Yeh should have gotten it."

"Sounds like a mystery," commented James. "Did you see the owl fly toward the castle?"

"Yep. Saw it fly _inside_ the castle with me own eyes."

"That would mean someone intercepted it _before_ it made it into the Great Hall...But who would _do_ such a thing and _why_?" Lily wondered.

James shook his head slowly. "I don't know."

"Well, never mind. Yeh two are here now. I'm real glad that yeh were made Head Boy and Head Girl. Not a boy or girl is more deserving." He beamed at them for a moment. "Here, why don't I make yeh some tea. Take a treacle tart, too. They were jus' baked this morning."

Lily and James, to be polite, took the offered tart.

Lily's teeth promptly became glued together with her first bite. Attempting not to show that she was struggling with the sweet, she smiled and nodded at Hagrid.

James made a noise as though he were enjoying his piece, also.

Hagrid smiled broadly. "I'm glad yeh like it!"

He rose to prepare tea.

Lily and James, mouths temporarily cemented shut, gazed at each other with amusement.

Very shortly, Lily and James were slightly startled by a soft ruffling sound coming from one corner of the room. Lily spotted a florescent pink bird staring balefully at them from a perch near a window.

Wrenching her jaws apart, Lily exclaimed, "Hagrid, where did you get that fwooper?"

"More important, does it have a Silencer?" said James. "I have no desire to go stark, raving mad like Uric the Oddball."

"Now, don't yeh two worry. It can't harm yeh." Then he added smugly, "Fer yer information, James, a Silencer Charm has been placed on it. I jus' have ter reinforce it once a month."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "How?"

"Eh?"

"_How_, Hagrid? You aren't allowed to perform magic!"

His eyes quickly darted over to an umbrella by the door. "I have help," he muttered.

A quirky grin spread across James face. "Now, now, Hagrid, you know you aren't supposed to do any magic."

"Do me a favour, yeh two. Don't mention this ter anyone, all right?"

"All right, Hagrid," replied Lily. "But as long as you remember to silence it each month."

The brightly plumed bird smacked its beak a few times.

*******

Fiona awakened Lily and Samantha one night in late October by slamming the door behind her as she entered the bedroom.

"I'm through with him," she screamed.

"Wh-What's wrong, Fi?" Lily said sleepily while pulling back the curtains enclosing her bed.

"SIRIUS!"

"Blimey, Fiona, you're going to wake the entire dormitory!" rebuked Samantha crossly. "Besides, you say you're through with him practically every fortnight."

"This time I'm serious!"

Lily yawned. "What did he do?"

"While we were snogging, he just _stops_ and says that he has to meet James. Then he just _left_ without a backwards glance."

"Oh," replied Samantha unconcerned, and closed the curtains to her bed.

Lily sighed. "Perhaps he had to meet James about something important."

"He cares more about JAMES than about ME!"

"Please, Fi, you're going to wake the rest of the girls."

"He doesn't love me. He loves _James_. If I were you, Lily, I would keep a tight hold on him." Then she added, nastily. "It's no telling what sort of design Sirius has on him."

"Oh come now, Fiona! You don't really believe that, do you?"

"I don't know what to believe, Lily," she snapped.

"I'm going back to sleep." Lily felt that it would be pointless to try to reason with Fiona in her present irrational state.

"I hate him," Fiona choked. Then she threw herself across the bed and sobbed noisily.

By the end of the following week, Lily and Samantha conceded that Fiona had terminated her stormy relationship with Sirius. Lily wondered how long the separation would last.

*******

In mid-November, at the prefects' table, Heidi landed in front of Lily with a letter in her beak.

"Hullo, Heidi, love."

Heidi hooted softly after dropping the letter on Lily's plate.

Trying not to stain the paper with any more food than necessary, Lily carefully separated it from her breakfast.

"Here," she said to Heidi, and gave the bird a kipper.

The owl gulped down the morsel, nipped Lily affectionately, and then flew off towards the Owlery.

Lily unfolded the letter.

> > > _Dear Lily, _
>>> 
>>> _I'm so sorry to have to tell you this, honey. Sweetheart, Snowball died last night. There wasn't much we could do for him. Dr. Ames put him to sleep so he wouldn't have to suffer needlessly. Lily, I'm so sorry. _
>>> 
>>> _Love, _
>>> 
>>> _Mum _

Lily burst into tears.

"Lily, what's wrong?" James exclaimed in alarm.

"Oh, Jamie, Snowball is dead!"

James placed his arms tightly around her as she sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Tiger Lily," he said, softly.

Sirius watched them with a sorrowful expression on his face while a number of the prefects at the table looked uncomfortably over at Lily and James.

Snape, diagonally across from Lily, stared at James with intense loathing.

*******

By the time of the Yule Ball, Lily had nearly recovered from her grief over Snowball's passing. It seemed unreal that she would actually attend the Ball with James. Lily kept expecting something to prevent her and James from arriving to the affair as a couple. Unfortunate events over the past several years conspired to keep them apart.

Although Fiona claimed that she was quite happy without Sirius, she did not behave so during the evening of the Ball. She was attending on the arms of Anthony Zephyr, a Ravenclaw, who had been smitten with her for quite some time.

"Really, I can't imagine what he could possibly see in a fourth year," said Fiona grumpily, speaking of Sirius, of course. "She's too young for him! He's a _seventh_ year. In May, he will be _eighteen_."

"Why should you care, Fiona?" replied Samantha bored with Fiona's ceaseless criticisms of Sirius. Toby Brentwood, of Hufflepuff, asked her to the Yule Ball and she accepted.

"I don't. I was just making a point."

"I better go now," said Lily hastily. "See you two in a bit."

Lily walked downstairs to meet James. In the nearly empty common room, she quietly approached James, whose back was presented to her.

James turned and caught his breath.

"What?" Lily said, eying him strangely.

"Merlin's beard, you're _beautiful_." He gaped at Lily as though he was seeing her for the first time.

Lily's pink-tinted cheeks deepened to rosy red. Feeling awkward at the way James was gazing at her, she shyly responded, "Thank you."

She wore a rich rosy brown dress robe with puffed sleeves and a low, unrevealing, neckline. The bottom half of her robe was bedecked with an elaborate flounce. A large bow was tied in back. Lily's hair was softly pulled from her face, with the back in loose, large curls. To top off the effect, a gold tiara with red stones adorned her head. She also wore the necklace that James had given to her for her sixteenth birthday.

James wore a deep red and gold dress robe with a high neck.

Lily stepped up to James, stood on her toes, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "And you are dashingly handsome, my Prince Charming."

He grinned down at her and offered his arm. "Let's go, shall we?"

She slipped her hand through his arm, and together they headed for the Great Hall.

*******

After everyone had eaten, Professor Dumbledore instructed students and professors alike to rise. With a wave his wand, the tables collapsed against the walls and a raised stage appeared complete with musical instruments.

"Please welcome, Portree!"

Amid cheers and whistles, a band consisting of four wizards and one witch strolled out onto the floor and mounted the stairs leading to the platform. All of the members wore identical clingy, black robes with thin white stripes on the bottom halves. Their robes only had one sleeve, and they wore a brimless wizard hat with a long, silk, white scarf dangling from the top of it.

"According to tradition, the dance is led by the Head Boy and Head Girl."

Smiling, Dumbledore beckoned Lily and James. "Come, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans."

Lily and James, with a brief glance at each other, strolled hand in hand towards the centre of the Great Hall.

Portree started to play. A melodic harp-like sound of water flowing gently over smooth rocks washed over the Great Hall.

Lily, gazing into James' eyes, placed her hands on his shoulders as James put his on her waist.

Anya of Portree sang a question in a slow, halting sweet voice.

James and Lily began a slow, tentative dance.

The music slowly built and the tempo quickened.

They pulled apart, but continued to hold hands. Standing side by side with eyes only for each other, Lily and James moved gracefully in synch with the haunting beat. As one, the pair swirled and stepped in fluid motion.

Lily's back now to him, James pulled her in close with his arms tightly around her waist. She gently clasped his hands.

Locked into a magical capsule of eternity, where time was theirs and they only for each other, James and Lily were oblivious to the fact that no one had joined them on the floor. Not wishing to disturb the dreamlike aura surrounding the pair, most of the students and professors watched in awe.

Snape dropped Tara Yolke's hand, and stalked hurriedly from the Great Hall with an exceedingly sour and resentful expression on his face. He did not return. Hurt and with tears stinging her eyes, Yolke watched him go.

They parted again, the music demanding it. In a traditional courtship ritual, Lily and James, with intricate steps, followed each other in turn.

James swept her into his arms, and then let Lily go, but maintained a hold of one of her hands. He twirled her around so that her back was to him. Once again, pulling her tightly to him, they swayed to the music as one. Then James bent his head towards Lily and kissed her quickly on the exposed flesh at the base of her neck. A pink flush rose from below Lily's neckline and filled her face.

A number of boys in the Great Hall hooted and whistled.

Returning to face one another, they held on tightly and gazed deeply into each other's eyes.

The music ended.

Everyone cheered and clapped raucously.

Still within the world that was solely theirs, Lily stared into James' eyes. Suddenly, she felt her heart burst wide open and a barrier topple.

"I love you, James Godric Potter."

James smiled sweetly into her upturned face. "Forever and always, I will love you."

She closed her eyes as their lips met. Drowning in each other's love, they kissed deeply.

The cheering in the Great Hall climbed to a roar.

Smiling with eyes twinkling, Headmaster Dumbledore turned to Professor McGonagall and raised his goblet. "A toast, Minerva?"

**---------**

_1Rowling, J.K., Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, (Scholastic Press, 1999), pages 21-22._

_**Note: ** You can lean about Bowman Wright (page 14) and earlier forms of Quidditch (pages 3-6) in Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling as Kennilworthy Whisp (Scholastic Press, 2001)._

_Billiwigs (page 4) and fwoopers (page 18) can be found in Fantastic Beasts & Where To find Them by J.K. Rowling as Newt Scamander (Scholastic Press, 2001)._

_The Golden Snidget (pages 10-15) appears in Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling as Kennilworthy Whisp (Scholastic Press, 2001)._


	26. Time

_**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter characters, places, and ideas belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers, not me._

**_Coming of Age: The Lily Evans Chronicles_**

**by Auror5**

**Chapter XXVI: _Time_**

Late one night, in early February, Lily went downstairs to the common room to meet James, hidden under his Invisibility Cloak.

"Pssst, over here."

Lily quietly walked to the spot where she heard James' voice. His seemingly disembodied hand appeared before her. She took it and slipped under the cloak.

"We have to be silent as mice," James whispered. "Filch is on the prowl, and I left the map with Remus."

Then he kissed Lily on the nose.

They made slow progress through the corridors while heading toward the main castle entrance. Silently and very cautiously, they passed Peeves the Poltergeist, who cackled wickedly while painting an obscene picture on Professor McGonagall's office door. Almost to the castle's entrance hall, Filch popped out from behind a tapestry.

"Who's there? I know someone's there. Trying to hide from me, eh? Find you, I will!"

Lily and James remained still while Filch peered into the darkened portions of the corridor.

Just then, they were startled by a loud, booming crash from an adjacent corridor.

"I GOT YOU, YOU VILE WORM!" Filch ran off into the direction of the noise.

James and Lily hurriedly exited the castle.

"Where are we going?"

"To the other side of the lake. Sirius, Peter, and Remus are waiting for us."

"Oh."

Halfway to their destination, they removed the Invisibility Cloak. On the opposite side of the lake, in a secluded section under a stand of firs, James and Lily met Sirius, Peter, and Remus. All of their wands were lit. Lily and James lit theirs as well.

Peter, Sirius, and Remus smiled at Lily with secretive expressions on their faces.

Lily frowned at them. "What are you three up to?"

"Nothing," replied Sirius.

"Tiger Lily, you always wanted to know why we refer to ourselves as Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, correct?"

"Yes," she answered slowly while still wondering what they were up to.

"Now you're going to find out," said Peter.

James walked over to stand next to Sirius.

"Presenting, Moony the Werewolf." Remus bowed.

"I already know you're a werewolf, Remus," said Lily with a half smile. "I reckoned Moony had to do with your changing into a wolf at the full moon."

Remus grinned in response.

"Wormtail at your service." Peter curtsied. As he did so, there was faint squeak and he disappeared.

Lily gasped. "Where did he go?"

Remus bent to pick up something from the sere grass. He stood and held out his cupped hands toward Lily.

"Here he is."

A plump, grey rat reposed in Remus' hand.

Incredulous, Lily exclaimed, "I didn't know Peter was an Animagus!"

Wormtail squeaked a few times.

Sirius cleared his throat to grab Lily's attention. "Lily, I promise to never knock you down and lick your face."

Then he promptly changed into a huge, shaggy, black dog with his pale, blue eyes.

Lily's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Prongs has the immense pleasure of meeting his true love in his other form."

With a faint "pop" a large, regal appearing stag replaced James.

In awe, Lily hesitatingly reached out to touch the stag's muzzle and stroked it. Without warning, James reappeared and took Lily's hand to kiss it.

Peter and Sirius returned to their proper forms.

Still astounded over what she just witnessed, Lily said, "How come you three never told anyone you were Animagi?"

"Er, we can't," replied James.

"Why not?"

"We're _unregistered_ Animagi," Peter responded.

"So? Just register yourselves."

"They can't," said Remus.

"Why not?"

"We're a bit illegal, Tiger Lily."

Lily frowned in confusion. "Please explain what you mean, James."

"We weren't always Animagi," replied Sirius. "We each became one to help Remus, so he wouldn't be alone when he transformed into a werewolf each month."

"How did you ever manage to do that?" Lily said, impressed. "Transformation is dangerous! It could have gone horribly wrong!"

"But it didn't," James replied, grinning.

"Jamie, how long did it take you three to work it out?"

"About three years, and another two for us to be able to transform at will."

Lily shook her head. "I just can't believe it!"

James pulled Lily to him and wrapped his arms around her. "Believe it."

"Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have told!"

"We weren't ready for anyone else to know our secret, yet. We each promised that we wouldn't say anything to anyone else unless we all agreed that that person was trustworthy. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs find you very trustworthy, Tiger Lily."

Lily pouted. "All four of you should have known that I was trustworthy. I never said anything about Remus being a werewolf, have I?"

"No, you haven't," said Remus, "and I thank you for that. I've always trusted you."

"We ought to go," suggested Peter. "It's getting late."

"Aye," agreed Sirius. "Let's take the Whomping Willow way back."

"What?" exclaimed Lily aghast. "Are you _mad_? That wretched tree will kill us!"

"No worries," James said, softly. "Peter will transform into Wormtail and prevent us from experiencing the Whomping Willow's wrath."

"How?"

"You'll see," responded Remus.

The five of them headed for the touchy tree.

*******

Lily and Fiona entered Excelsior in Hogsmeade. Since the horrifying event of over a year ago, the students were accompanied by a sizable number of professors whenever they visited the village. In addition, each Hogsmeade trip was assigned to a particular year. It was the seventh years' turn to explore the only entirely magical town in existence. Lily wanted to find a unique gift for James' eighteenth birthday.

"Lily."

"Hmmm?" she replied lazily while looking at an elaborately carved sword.

"I'm going over there to look at the oak figurines."

"All right, Fi."

Lily put the sword down and proceeded to investigate a shelf farther down the aisle. A variety of wood types in embroidered or engraved frames occupied the shelf that caught her attention. She picked up a square piece of mahogany with a border engraved with delicate, gold filigree. Staring at the wood, she noticed that its surface had become lighter in colour and had acquired more depth. As she gazed upon it, the entire surface changed to a creamy alesan colour. Then a moving image appeared. Lily gasped. The motion picture showed Lily lying beside James on the banks of a lake under a full moon. As she watched, James lifted his wand and said something she could not hear. However, she knew what he uttered. "_Orchideous_," she whispered. In the image, a bouquet of flowers burst from James' wand. He gave them to Lily.

"Why, this happened three days ago," Lily said aloud in astonishment.

"I would strongly suggest that you would try not to talk to yourself in public, Lily."

Lily hurriedly placed the framed wood, which had returned to it original state, back onto the shelf and turned to face Snape.

"Talking to oneself is unbecoming of a Head Girl, don't you think?" Snape resumed. "You don't want anyone to think you are slightly mad, eh?"

"I don't really care what others think of me, Snape. I know, with confidence, that I am not mad or in any danger of becoming so."

"You used to call me by my first name."

"That was before, a long time ago…when you still had some decency, I might add."

Anger appeared on his face. "I apologised, didn't I? When will you ever forgive me for my stupid mistake and give me a real chance? You've never given me a real chance, have you, Lily?"

"Your stupid mistake? I wouldn't call lacing a girl's butterbeer with a Love Potion so that she could be taken advantage of a stupid mistake. I would call that conniving and twisted!"

"Then please explain to me, Hogwarts' Princess, how else would I have been able to get your undivided attention?"

"By being decent, Snape! By stop acting as if the world owes you a favour. By stop competing with James. Why must you compete? Why can't you be yourself? Show me the best that _you_ have to offer! Stop competing with James. I know you must have something good and worthy inside to give. Competing with James only brings out the worst in you."

"So, what are you saying, Lily? If I bared my soul to you, you would come to me? Be my girl? Leave that swollen headed fool, Potter?"

Tired of Snape's ceaseless quest for her and his perpetual envy of James, Lily sighed heavily. Then she quietly said, "No, Severus. You already know that."

An ugly expression blurred his features. "I thought so. Potter, the best thing that has ever happened to Hogwarts, always gets what he wants, doesn't he? First, he becomes Hogwarts Quidditch star extraordinaire. Then he seduces the most beautiful girl in our year. No one can compete with the saintly Potter."

"He didn't seduce me!" Lily responded, hotly.

"Why didn't you ever give me a real chance, Lily? Why? Why Potter?"

"I never liked you that way! At first, I thought we could become friends, but then you _changed_."

"You can thank Potter for that," he snapped, coldly.

He turned swiftly on his heels and strode rapidly away.

Lily watched Snape exit the shop while shaking her head sadly. She briefly glanced at the framed, dark mahogany, and started to leave. On second thought, she returned to the shelf and grabbed the unusual wood for James' present.

*******

Sirius glanced over at Lily and James for support. James nodded his head in encouragement. Lily, James, and Sirius were having tea with Hagrid.

"Erm, Hagrid," Sirius began. "We were wondering why you were expelled from Hogwarts."

Hagrid looked up sharply from his large cup of tea. "Eh?"

"Why were you expelled from Hogwarts?" said James.

"How did yeh know?"

"For one, you aren't allowed to use magic," responded Lily. "Second, James and I saw your name listed on old prefects' records. Third, a prefect by the name of Tom Riddle wrote in one of the records that you were…."

She did not have the opportunity to complete her sentence for at that moment Hagrid, face purple with rage, leapt from his chair, which toppled backward onto the floor.

"RIDDLE!" Hagrid roared. "RIDDLE! THAT…." He then called Riddle every profane word known to man.

Lily, James, and Sirius gazed at Hagrid with shock and dismay. They did not expect him to react so violently.

Eventually, Hagrid calmed down and lifted the overturned chair from the floor. After he sat down, he looked at the three friends with a thunderous expression on his face.

"Riddle, that low down, rotten dog," he muttered. "'Twas his fault I was expelled. Blamed the killin' of that girl on me, he did. Aragog would never have done such a thing. I tried ter tell 'em. No one listened ter me, except Dumbledore, but there was nothin' he could do."

Hagrid sipped his tea.

Softly James said, "Can you tell us what happened? We would like to know."

"As long as yeh three promise me that it doesn' leave this room."

"We promise, don't we?" said James turning to Lily and Sirius.

Lily and Sirius nodded their heads vigorously and chorused, "Yes."

"All righ'. In me third year, strange things began ter happen in the castle. Strange _bad_ things. It started with this boy who was found in the corridor. His eyes were all starey and he was stiff as a broom, but he was alive. No one could explain it. Then the same thing happened to a girl while she was in a toilet. Everyone became afraid because no one knew what was causing the students ter petrify. After the girl, two more students went down. Was a real panic situation, I tell yeh!

"I was afraid meself. Wasn' sure I would be next. But, I tell yeh I had nothing ter do with it! Neither did Aragog!"

"Who's Aragog?" said Lily.

"Aragog is my friend. He's an Acromantula."

"_WHAT_?" exclaimed Sirius spraying tea on himself and the table. "You had an _Acromantula_ as a pet? They are very dangerous! They eat people!"

"And I tell yeh, Sirius, Aragog wouldn' hurt a fly!"

With a puzzled expression on her face, Lily slowly said, "Hagrid, you speak of Aragog in the present. It's still alive?"

"Of course! Aragog lives in the Forbidden Forest. I visit him and his family evry chance I get."

Too flabbergasted to speak, Lily, James, and Sirius simply gaped at Hagrid.

"I tell yeh, Aragog was innocent! He and his family treat me like one of their own. Aragog is one of the best friends I've ever had."

James shook his head in disbelief. "Hagrid, how do you _know_ it wasn't Aragog?"

"Because Aragog told me. He wouldn' lie, if that's what yeh three are thinking. Aragog was afraid of the monster that was roamin' the castle. It was a _monster_. Aragog was so scared he couldn' speak of it. He wanted ter leave the castle because he feared for his life. He kep' tryin ter escape, but I wouldn' let him."

Hagrid burst into tears, lowered his head to the table, and bawled loudly.

Alarmed, Lily rose from her chair and went over to the other side of the table to try to comfort him. She attempted to wrap her arms around his exceedingly wide shoulders.

"It's all right, Hagrid. We believe you." Lily's looked over at James and Sirius with an expression that stated that they better agree. "We know you wouldn't keep a pet you know would harm your fellow students."

Hagrid lifted up his head and removed a large handkerchief from his pocket. He used it to wipe his eyes and blow his nose.

Once he composed himself, Hagrid continued his narrative.

"Aragog didn' do it. Tried ter tell 'em. I shoulda let Aragog go when he wanted ter. He was so afraid of the monster. Knew what it was. Feared it like we fear You-know-Who. Couldn' say its name.

"Then a girl was killed in a toilet. Not petrified, _killed_. Still haunts the toilet she was killed in, from what I unnerstand."

"_Moaning Myrtle_?" Lily exclaimed with dawning comprehension. "Was _Moaning Myrtle_ the one who was killed? She haunts a girls' toilet."

"I don' remember her name, Lily. It could be her. Why don't yeh ask next time yeh see her?"

Lily made a mental note to do just that.

"They planned ter shut down the school after the girl was killed. Was afraid there would be more killins, and no one still had any idea what was behind the girl's death and the petrifying.

"I was in the corridor late one night to move Aragog ter a safer place. Had hid him in an empty broom cupboard. He wasn' as big as he is now, so he could fit. While I was tryin' ter get him in the box, that bloody sneak Riddle jumped out at me. He forced open the cupboard, and Aragog made a run fer it. Riddle tried to curse Aragog, but I threw meself on the foul git and grabbed his wand. Aragog was able ter escape. Riddle got up real fast, kicked me hard in me groin, and snatched his wand from me while I was bent over in pain. Then the bloody Slytherin pointed his wand at me with a hideous grin on his face. Told me that he was takin' me ter the headmaster.

"He marched me up to Dippet's office. Riddle said that I would be punished fer killin' a student and fer attacking a prefect unprovoked. Kep' tryin ter tell him that Aragog didn' do it. We went into Dippet's office, and Riddle told him about me hiding Aragog and evrything. Next, I was bein' accused of keepin' a dangerous beast in the castle that killed a student. Dumbledore tried ter help. He tried so hard ter defend me. Said that I couldn' have done it...that I was innocent. Had ter be summat or someone else. No one listened. I was told ter leave Hogwarts. Had nowhere ter go."

Hagrid began weeping quietly.

"Oh, Hagrid," Lily said sadly, and reached across the table to grasp his large hand.

In a broken voice, Hagrid repeated, "I had nowhere ter go." He sniffed. "I was only thirteen. Me dad had died a year before. He would've bin so disappointed in me if he were alive. If it weren't fer Dumbledore, I don't know where I would be today. Dumbledore's a great man...heart full of gold. I owe him much, and would give me life fer him."

"Where is Riddle now?" said James.

"Don' know."

At that moment, the vividly coloured fwooper began to sing exuberantly and beautifully.

James and Sirius clapped their hands to their ears.

"Hagrid, you forgot to silence it!" Lily exclaimed while retrieving her wand. She pointed it at the bird and shouted, "_Reticeo_!"

For a few seconds, the bird's beak remained open in song. It finally dawned on the fwooper that it no longer had its voice. Then it ruffled its feathers indignantly until it resembled a fluffy, pink ball with legs, eyes, and a beak.

*******

While in the library researching material for a Charms assignment, Lily was distracted by strange noises coming from between one of the rows of bookcases. She listened intently, trying to discern what could be causing them. After a few minutes, she decided to investigate. Cautiously, she walked toward the row of bookcases from where the combination sighing and pecking sounds seemed to emanate. Peering around the nearest shelf, Lily spotted...Fiona and Sirius! So busily involved with each other, they failed to notice Lily staring at them and shaking her head.

Lily cleared her throat loudly to catch Fiona and Sirius' attention. They quickly stopped their activity with faces turning an alarming shade of red.

"I think you two should find a more secluded place to become reacquainted with each other, don't you think?" Lily said with amusement.

Fiona quickly straightened her robe. Immediately afterwards, Sirius grabbed Fiona's hand.

"We're leaving," replied Sirius shamefacedly.

As they passed Lily, she exclaimed in a singsong voice, "See you two at dinner."

Shaking her head, she wondered how they could tolerate their hot and cold relationship.

*******

After having an interesting and illuminating conversation with Moaning Myrtle about the circumstances surrounding her death, Lily headed toward the Gryffindor tower to meet James. Once she reached her destination, she waited in the common room chatting with two second year girls until James appeared. After a few minutes, James stepped into the room and went up to her. Lily politely dismissed the girls.

"I'm sorry for taking so long. Had a minor problem with two first year boys to settle."

"It's all right. Do you have the map?"

"Yes. Let's go through the witch's hump this time."

Ensuring that no one nearby was watching, they climbed through the witch's hump and down into an underground passage that led to the cellar of the Three Broomsticks.

In the middle of the dark corridor below, lit by their wands, Lily told James the story of Moaning Myrtle's death.

After she finished the tale, James said, "So, Hagrid was right. He and Aragog _were_ innocent based on what Moaning Myrtle told you. I have to admit that I had my doubts about Hagrid's story."

"I did, too. That is the reason I wanted to talk to Myrtle. A big part of me didn't want to think that Hagrid would be connected with such a horrible deed. He's so lovable. It's too bad that he has a fascination for frightening beasts."

"Myrtle said that a boy entered the girl's toilet before the monster or whatever it was appeared?"

"Aye."

"Did she get a good look at him?"

"No, she meant to. She just heard his voice. She said that he was talking funny."

"Talking funny? Perhaps he was speaking another language. Did she say which one or what it sounded like?"

"Hissing."

"What?"

"The boy who was doing the funny talking was a _Parselmouth_, James. I sorted it out."

"A Parselmouth? But, the only known Parselmouth is…."

"Salazar Slytherin."

"That would mean that Slytherin wasn't the only Parselmouth to ever enter Hogwarts."

"Aye."

"If this boy was speaking Parseltongue, that would mean the beast who killed Myrtle was a serpent."

"A Basilisk, to be exact."

James slapped himself on the forehead. "Blimey, of course! Large yellow eye, students petrified…it all makes perfect sense. Myrtle died because she looked directly into the basilisk's eye."

"The basilisk that Riddle summoned," Lily added, quietly.

Stunned, James gazed at her. "How did you figure that one out?"

"I read the prefects, Head Boys, and Head Girls' journals very closely to find as much as I could about Riddle. It turns out that he was a Parselmouth. He mentioned it in his last entry as Head Boy. I am sure he was the one who unleashed the basilisk on the students."

"Then he framed Hagrid for it, the evil git. I wonder why he did it in the first place."

Lily shrugged. "We'll never know. But what really makes me angry is the fact that he received a Special Award for Services to the School, which I am willing to wager had _everything_ to do with Hagrid's expulsion from Hogwarts. It was given to him the same year that Myrtle died."

"Then he became Head Boy in his seventh year. That's sickening."

They each became silent with their own thoughts.

"I wonder where Riddle is now," James mused aloud. "Perhaps he's dead. Would serve him right if he is."

"D'you think Riddle and…." Lily shook her head.

"What?"

"Never mind," Lily said as she stood and wiped the dust from her robe. "We ought to go now. Dinner will be served soon. We don't want to get caught leaving the witch's hump."

"All right."

*******

The small boy, no older than two years of age, had been screaming for so long that his voice was hoarse, but he continued to cry for his mother, who remained just outside his reach. He was bound to the chair on which he sat. He could not move his arms and legs. Tears and mucous dripped into his open mouth and down his neck onto his wet shirt.

A man lay in the corner. His face was very pale and saliva trickled from the corner of his mouth. Lily recognised the man as Frank Longbottom. Sorrow filled her heart. She wanted to wake him and pick up the baby. In this dream, however, the only power she had was to impotently watch and listen.

"Tell us where our master is, witch!"

"_Please_," the woman begged. "I know _nothing_. I know _nothing_!"

Lily gasped. It was Diana Pheasant! In this dream, she was Mrs. Longbottom, wife and mother.

"_Crucio_," screamed a woman Lily recognised with horror.

Judith Owlsbuckle, Hogwarts Head Girl in Lily's first year, tortured Diana for information she did not have.

Diana shrieked with agony. Her body tried to writhe from the excruciating pain, but like her son, she was bound too tightly to the chair on which she sat. Lily noticed that the rope had bit into Diana's flesh, and was stained with her blood.

The pain ceased, and Diana's head drooped downward. Tendrils of damp hair clung to her sweaty face.

A teenager, who seemed oddly familiar to Lily, yanked Diana's head upward by the hair.

"Give us the information we need!"

Diana stared blankly at the boy-man with straw-coloured hair.

Disgusted, he slammed his fist into Diana's face. Blood spurted from her broken nose.

"Tell us where our master is, witch," shouted a thickset man Lily recognised as Lestrange. "_TELL US_!"

"_Please_, I don't _know_," Diana responded, weakly. "_Please_, no more."

"_CRUCIO_!"

An exceptionally loud peal of thunder awakened Lily. The dream dissolved rapidly like thin fog under a burning sun. It was forgotten.

*******

Lily and James lay atop the Astronomy Tower on a mild, fragrant night in late April gazing at the sky and conversing of matters important.

"Instead of Aurors, Jamie, perhaps we should work in the Department of Mysteries as Unspeakables."

"Like my dad."

"Aye."

"But don't you wish to help track down Lord Voldemort and his supporters, Lily?"

"Yes, of course. We could do that as Unspeakables."

"But we don't know what Unspeakables do. I've lived with my dad all my life, and I _still_ don't know what his function is as an Unspeakable. Whenever I ask, he tells me that it is classified."

"Jamie, wouldn't you think that the Unspeakables would be in the best position to help defeat Lord Voldemort? No one knows what they do, not even Lord Voldemort and his supporters. As Unspeakables, we could get information to help the Aurors track them down. No one would have any idea because our function would be classified."

"True, but I would like to know what an Unspeakable _does_ before I commit to becoming one."

"How are we going to find out, James? The only way to find out is by _becoming_ one!"

James sighed. "I don't know, Lily."

"Listen, James, if we don't like being Unspeakables, we can always get out of it, can't we?"

"Yes, but our memories would have to be modified. That's what my dad told me. When he retires, that's what will happen to him."

"James, I want to be an Unspeakable. I _know_ I can help defeat the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters as an Unspeakable."

James turned onto his side, and propped his head on his elbow to peer at Lily in the darkness.

"Tiger Lily, I want you by my side. I couldn't be an Auror without you. I need your brains. You are much more perceptive than I am, and your charms put me to shame."

Lily giggled while gazing at the stars. "And which charms are you referring to?"

James leaned over and kissed her mouth. "Both."

They kissed for a few minutes, and then James pulled back. "I have an idea."

"What?"

"Let's become Aurors for a year or two, to see what it is like. During that time, we can try to find out as much as we can about Unspeakables. I'm sure that between the two of us we will discover heaps of information, if we try hard enough and are cautious. What do you say, Lily doll?"

Lily thought over his proposal for a moment. "All right."

James grinned in the dark. "Thanks for compromising."

They then kissed with increasing fervour. When James became a bit too friendly, Lily said in a mockingly deep and stern voice, "Been keeping your curious hands to yourself?"

James laughed. "It's a good thing your dad didn't see us a moment ago. I would be one thoroughly flogged wizard."

"Lucky for you, my one true love, my dad isn't a wizard and no one can apparate into Hogwarts."

"You can't _imagine_ how much I love you, Tiger Lily."

"Erm, I think I can. I believe I love you just as much as you love me."

Stroking Lily's face lightly, he kissed her mouth as she reached up to place her hand on the back of his neck to gently pull him in closer.

High above, a shooting star streaked across the sky and winked out.

*******

The owls swooped into the Great Hall bearing packages and letters. An important looking owl landed in front of Lily and knocked over Fiona's goblet of pumpkin juice in the process.

"Oy! Watch it, you," Fiona said, indignantly.

Samantha attempted to prevent the juice from staining more of the table cloth while Lily removed the morning edition of the _Daily Prophet_, for which she had taken out a subscription,from the owl's leg. Once accomplished, she placed three Knuts in the bag attached to the bird's leg. The owl flew off. She began to read the paper.

Fiona caught Lily wincing.

"What dreadful thing You-Know-Who and his horrid Death Eaters have done this time?"

Samantha leaned over to listen to Lily's reply.

"Crups! They unleashed _crups_ on innocent Muggles!"

Fiona and Samantha blanched.

Then Fiona said, "That's truly evil. We all know that crups are positively _vicious_ towards Muggles. Was anyone killed?"

"Yes! Twelve children. The crups were let loose in a park in Bristol. Scores of people were bitten or mauled. They were taken to hospitals. This article states that the Muggles thought they were a pack of wild Jack Russell terriers."

"Did the Ministry catch those who were responsible?" said Samantha stuffing a piece of fried egg into her mouth.

"No, but a few Muggles saw a number of Death Eaters at the perimeter of the park call out to the crups after they ravaged those poor people. They disapparated after the crups returned to them. Of course, the Ministry had to modify the Muggles' memories after they obtained the information."

"Too bad no one in the Ministry caught the bloody bastards," commented Fiona.

*******

After a one o'clock in the morning lovers rendezvous on the far side of the lake, Lily and James sneaked back into the castle under the Invisibility Cloak. Before they returned to their house, they decided to visit the kitchen for hot chocolate and biscuits. James tickled the pear and pulled the door open. Quietly they stepped inside Hogwarts' spacious kitchen while removing the cloak.

A sleepy house-elf ran up to greet them. "What would Master James and his lady be wanting tonight?"

"Could we have hot chocolate and oatmeal raisin biscuits, please?"

"Yes, Master James. I will go get."

The house-elf scuttled away. A minute later, he returned with a tray.

"Here, sir. Sit by the fire, sir and lady."

The house-elf bowed, and disappeared into the shadows.

Lily and James made themselves comfortable by the fire to enjoy their late night snack.

"These are good," Lily said, her voice muffled.

"Oatmeal raisin is my favourite."

They finished their biscuits, and then sipped their chocolate in silence while gazing into the fire.

"Come, Tiger Lily, you're tired. Let's head back," James said softly while watching Lily's eyelids droop.

They placed their cups on the tray and prepared to leave. The house-elf reappeared as they reached the door.

"Thank you," Lily said, quietly.

"You're very welcome, Miss."

The house-elf bowed so deeply that his long nose touched the floor.

Lily stifled a giggle.

Once again, under the Invisibility Cloak, they silently crept through the corridors. Halfway to the Gryffindor common room, James, while looking at the Marauder's Map, exclaimed in a whisper, "Shite! Here comes that dreadful kitten of Filch's."

A moment later, a scrawny, grey kitten with bulging eyes so like her master's appeared before them. On the Marauder's Map, the cat was labelled as "Mrs. Norris." The tiny feline stared at them without moving. Lily and James glanced at each other under the Invisibility Cloak wondering if the kitten possessed the power of seeing through objects. They hoped that Mrs. Norris would disappear very soon.

Cautiously, Mrs. Norris moved toward the spot where James and Lily stood. As the cat approached them, they backed up silently. They continued this manoeuvre until James inadvertently tripped on his untied shoelaces. The result was disastrous. In his attempt to prevent himself from falling, James grabbed Lily and they both tumbled onto the floor. The Invisibility Cloak fell off their shoulders. The kitten arched her back and screeched loudly in fright as two humans suddenly materialized before her.

Before Lily and James could recover themselves and make an escape, Filch came flying around the corridor.

"AH HA! CAUGHT RED-HANDED, YOU SLY RUFFIANS! Sneaking around the castle up to no good, weren't you? Come, follow me."

Lily and James reluctantly followed Filch and Mrs. Norris to Filch's office. Once inside the cramped and smelly room, Filch ordered them to sit.

"Let's see, Mr. Potter. Head Boy, are you not? Well, well, well. Always breaking the rules, aren't we? You and that Mr. Black. Most of my files are filled with your transgressions. Now, let's see. Crime: Skulking around the castle after hours for the express purpose of engaging in sordid activity."

"_What_?" shouted James.

"Sordid activity with Miss Evans! Don't lie! Why else would you be with the comely girl at this hour?" Then he spotted the parchment in James' hand. "What's that you got there?"

"Nothing."

"Hand it over."

"It's _nothing_, Filch."

"If it's nothing, then why don't you want to hand it over? Now give it me!"

Reluctantly, James gave the blank Marauder's Map to Filch, who snatched it from his hand. Filch peered at it closely.

"This will be confiscated, of course."

"What? _Why_? It's just a piece of parchment!"

"Then you will have to get another one!"

"I want that one!"

Filch gazed at James shrewdly. "Why? You've already said that it was nothing. Personally, I think it's full of magic. So, I shall confiscate it!"

James' shoulders slumped. "Will you return it to me before I leave Hogwarts?"

"No."

"Oh come now, Filch!"

"SILENCE!"

He then muttered under his breath about how he wished that the old methods of punishment would be reinstated.

"Punishment: Dust and shine all of the banisters in the castle _without magic_."

"Are you _joking_? There are _over one hundred_ staircases in Hogwarts, and they constantly move around!"

"You should have thought about that before you decided to engage in criminal behaviour, Mr. Brilliant Head Boy," Filch snapped.

"Miss Evans, Head Girl, crime: slinking about the castle to engage in naughty activities with Potter, Head Boy."

Too tired to argue, Lily blushed slightly and held her tongue.

"Punishment: Dust and shine all the medals in the trophy room _without magic_."

Lily groaned.

"Don't get pert with me, missy!"

Standing up, James yawned. "Can we go now, Filch?"

Filch glared up at James before responding. "You will carry out your punishments tomorrow, after dinner. Leave me. Don't linger in the corridors unless you want further punishment. Mrs. Norris, darling, keep an eye on them, Potter in particular."

The kitten meowed, and followed James.

*******

Heidi, Lily's snowy owl, flew into the bedroom with an envelope in her beak. Lily watched Heidi land on her bed with an odd feeling of trepidation. She took the letter from Heidi and stroked the owl gently. Heidi hooted softly, nipped Lily affectionately, and left the room. With a brief hesitation, Lily opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside.

> > > _Dear Lily, _
>>> 
>>> _I hate to break this to you, knowing that your exams are coming up. But I wanted you to know as soon as possible. I just learned that your mother was diagnosed with cancer. She has kept this as a secret from me since last October when she found out about it from her doctor. Honey, this is the reason your mother has been so tired. Right now, she is undergoing treatment to prevent the cancer from spreading. Your mother and I do not want for you to worry. As long as she continues the treatment, she should be all right, but there will be good and bad days. The specialist believes that she has five to ten years of life left in her. _
>>> 
>>> _Sweetheart, I am telling you this because you are a big girl now. You have come of age. In July, you will be eighteen. Your mother and I do not want you to worry. She is in good hands. Your mother's doctors are extremely capable. She isn't in any pain. Her only complaint is that she lacks energy, but with an increase in vitamins rich in iron, the doctors believe that she should get her old strength back. _
>>> 
>>> _Keep your mother in your thoughts and prayers. _
>>> 
>>> _Love always, _
>>> 
>>> _Dad _

Lily crumpled up the letter and fell back onto the bed in tears.

Stretched out on her bed reading _Witch Weekly,_ Fiona glanced up. She observed Lily's body shaking with silent sobs. Alarmed, Fiona sat up.

"Lily, what's wrong? Lily?"

She rose and went over to sit on Lily's bed.

"Lily, what's wrong?" she repeated, softly.

"My mother has cancer, Fi. She isn't expected to live beyond ten years."

Fiona gazed down at Lily with a stricken expression on her face. "I'm so sorry."

Then Fiona leaned over Lily and embraced her tight.

*******

On her last ride on the Hogwarts Express, Lily gazed out the window thinking about her mother while her companions discussed their future. Lily, James, Sirius, Fiona, Remus, and Peter were crammed into one compartment.

"Tiger Lily," James whispered in her ear. "Come back to us, love."

She turned and smiled wanly at him.

"Your mother?"

Lily nodded her head.

James placed his arm around her shoulders and drew her close. He then kissed her on the forehead.

"Let's promise we will always stay in contact with each other," exclaimed Peter, "regardless of what we do, and no matter how far apart we may end up."

"Hear, hear," shouted Sirius, raising a bottle of pumpkin juice.

"Let's promise we will forever remain close friends in these dark days," Remus added.

"Hear, hear," shouted Sirius again, and then sipped his pumpkin juice.

Fiona playfully elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut up, Siri."

"I can't, pretty babe," countered Sirius with a devilish gleam in his eyes. Then he said in a serious tone, "Let's promise we will never betray one another."

Fiona giggled and shouted, "Hear, hear."

"Shut up, witch," Sirius said, and pulled Fiona close to him.

James cleared his throat. "Most important: let's promise we will always remember which side we're on. Let's promise we will help defeat Lord Voldemort and his supporters."

In unison, they solemnly said, "Hear, hear."

**_The End_**

**---------**

_**Note:** Fwoopers (page 18) and crups (page 8) can be found in Fantastic Beasts & Where To find Them by J.K. Rowling as Newt Scamander (Scholastic Press, 2001)._

_I plan to write a sequel to this, but I cannot say when. Have to finish my Riddle/Lord Voldemort story first._

_Finally, this part of the story was posted on the 16th of July, 2001. Keep this in mind if you have a strong desire to flame me for information revealed in an interview (with JKR) after this date or in a future book (Book 5 or later). Remember, flames will be used to heat my large cauldron. ^.~_


End file.
